Transition Period
by avtorSola
Summary: The 12th Division has (yet again) thrown a wrench into Hitsugaya Toushiro's life. But genderbending isn't really a bad thing when you've been gender-questioning for 20 years. The problem is that it's awakened Hyourinmaru's true power - a power which the Royal Family will kill to get. Now all he has to do is decide which is more important; his safety, or being truly (her)self.
1. Accident

**A/N: I know. I'm supposed to be working on** _"The Power of Seven"_ **but a plot bunny came to me in a dream. So here you go.**

 **Romance is a possibility later! ;)**

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Matsumoto was going to be the death of him one day, he thought furiously, a packet of paperwork tucked neatly under his arm. At least the weather was pleasant enough for a walk, the breeze crisp and chilly. Summer was beginning to wane into fall, and within three months winter would come roaring in. Then he'd be happiest - he always had liked the cold better. It gave him a reason to wear scarves despite the fact that he didn't really need them, and he'd always liked the look of a nicely ruffled scarf wrapped around his neck, especially if the color contrasted nicely with his stark white hair.

A smile came to the young teenager's face at the thought, and he readjusted the paperwork under his arm, continuing on to the Twelfth Division with a slight bounce in his step. Hinamori and Matsumoto had wondered at him for some time now, puzzled by his addiction to scarves and his penchant for fawning over them - with restraint, of course, but still fawning. It wasn't really his fault. Scarves were one of the few accessories that men could get away with wearing. Anything else would make people give him funny looks - so he held himself back, despite how annoyed it made him.

That returned his attention to the embarrassing incident not even two days ago. The same incident that Matsumoto had threatened to reveal to Momo if he didn't take the paperwork to the Twelfth himself, even though it was usually her job. She'd cited the weather with a wink, though, saying that he could probably get away with wearing a scarf considering the wind. His face colored a bit at the memory, a sort of helpless, fond exasperation overtaking him. He appreciated the sentiment, and he knew that Matsumoto had just been teasing him, but the thought of _that_ being revealed so suddenly stung.

Besides, the incident had been completely innocent, which made the matter all the more sore when it was brought up in jest - although Matsumoto had only done so once, and then seeing his upset, had curiously stopped her teasing and proceeded to apologize gently (that had been the day of its occurrence, actually). He'd been of the mindset to deliver a case of sweet buns to Matsumoto for her birthday, complete with a small package of persimmons, and had stopped by her house. However, she hadn't been there. Toushiro had resolved to leave the package in her kitchen, and he had done so, unlocking her door with the spare key she'd entrusted to him and laying his package on the counter.

The young captain had turned to leave, Hyourinmaru humming cheerily on his back, when his master had caught sight of the open door of Matsumoto's chaotic bedroom, and the open vanity sitting against the wall. At that, Hitsugaya had guiltily swept around with his senses, concealed his reiatsu a smidge more tightly than was usual for him, and slipped inside. Matsumoto had caught him, of course. He almost thought she'd been lying in wait - that she actually suspected he'd end up looking at (and perhaps - just perhaps - actually trying on) the intensely varied shades of lipstick and eyeshadow that she kept tucked away. He'd been completely mortified; she had appeared calm, almost appraising.

"You like my collection?" she'd asked playfully, smiling, and he'd practically leapt out of his skin and away from his lieutenant's makeup drawers, blushing and rubbing at his face and stammering hasty excuses. She'd laughed.

"Oh, Taicho, you're so cute when you flounder like that!" she'd giggled, taking him firmly by the hand and leading him into her living room. "But wow! I didn't know you liked makeup. Maybe next time we can invite Hinamori-chan over and-"

"NO!" he'd yelped out, twisting himself free of her grip and leaving her standing there, staring at him. His breathing had been heavy and the slightest bit panicked, and almost immediately her face had rounded out in a mysterious kind of understanding.

"...It's alright, Taicho. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. I'm sorry." she'd said, her voice quiet. He'd relaxed almost instantly when he'd heard that. He knew his interests were atypical for men regardless of place, but in Seireitei it was almost unheard of. Ayasagewa Yumichika was the only man he knew of willing to express himself in a similar way to what Hitsugaya covertly longed for.

And then his second had, very calmly and unusually seriously, asked him the million-dollar question.

"Taicho...I've been wondering this for a while now, but...are you questioning?"

He'd blinked.

"...Questioning?" he'd parroted tentatively, trying to compose a satisfactory response, his mind whirling frantically. Matsumoto had clarified, her expression tender.

"Gender-questioning." she'd explained with a smile. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to - but if you do say something, I promise I won't share with anyone else what we say here."

He'd stared at her, reminded himself implicitly that he trusted his vice-captain - his surrogate older sister for the past few decades - and at Hyourinmaru's calm prompting, had inclined his head in a shaky nod. Matsumoto's eyes had filled up and she'd reached out to him, pulled him into an unexpectedly warm hug.

"Oh, Taicho..." she'd chided, her face full of a kindness he'd rarely seen there. "You silly thing, not telling me. From here on out, you're free to come over and look through my vanity all you want, okay? And if you ever need anything, or are confused about anything, let me know so I can try to help, alright?"

He'd been so shocked to find her supportive of his current, discomforted state that he'd agreed before he'd known exactly what he was doing. Shaking himself from the memory, Toushiro looked up to find that he was standing in front of the Twelfth Division, a sigh etched into his face. Matsumoto knew now - knew his secret - and there was no getting around it. At least she didn't think of him differently simply because he wasn't sure if he was comfortable with his current gender.

A pair of scientist-shinigami met him at the gate of the Twelfth and bowed respectfully as he passed through, heading directly for the laboratory where both Kurotsuchi-taicho and his daughter/subordinate worked, intent on returning the forms he'd filled out so neatly the day before. He wound through the Twelfth's myriad hallways with a cold glower on his face, fixed artfully in place by the slanted scowl of his lips, and the members of the Twelfth bowed to him and stood aside for him to sweep past. But finally he reached Kurotsuchi's office. He knocked once, announced his presence through the door, and upon receiving an acknowledging grunt, stepped inside to hand the paperwork to Kurotsuchi.

The mad scientist took the folders from his younger colleague with a disparaging snort.

"Can't you get someone to do this for you?" he sneered, and Hitsugaya raised a thin white eyebrow, playing absent-mindedly with one of the tails of his burnt-red scarf. No, definitely not this color - his skin tone clashed horribly with it.

"I wanted to take a walk, and I thought I might as well get some use out of it." he replied coolly, his temper spiking. "Even though the scenery here is atrocious."

Kurotsuchi leapt to his feet, shaking a finger in his younger colleague's face. He didn't seem upset though, and Hitsugaya instinctively knew that the other man was in one of his pretentious you-are-all-idiots moods.

"You wouldn't say that if you've seen my lab, Hitsugaya-taicho." he snapped, his voice a little creaky. "It's a beautiful sight to behold - provided one has the right mindset, which I doubt you would."

"And don't want to." Hitsugaya said dryly, rolling his eyes disparagingly. Squabbling old men were _so_ tiresome - honestly, who put up with these idiots? "You're the mad scientist, and you've left a rather bad taste in my mouth. If I ever enjoyed the sight of a laboratory, I'd fear I was becoming too like you."

At that Kurotsuchi leaned over the desk, his painted face twisted in anger.

"How dare you come into my Division and insult me!" he raged, and Hitsugaya stared at the man, bored out of his mind by the display.

"It wasn't an insult, merely my own personal opinion." Toushiro interjected crisply, but Kurotsuchi kept shooting him dark looks and complaining under his breath.

"Oh, shut up already." Hitsugaya muttered, turning to go, but just as he reached out to open the door, it slid back of its own accord and Kurotsuchi Nemu stepped through the opening, carefully balancing a tall erlenmeyer flask in her hands. She collided directly with the smaller captain, knocking her back and loosening her grip on the full flask in her gloved grasp. For one crystalline moment, all three of the room's occupants froze, watching the odd purple liquid spill out. And then time resumed, splashing the purple all over the young captain's face and chest.

Nemu let out a shocked gasp and managed to avoid the rest of the purple droplets as the flask shattered on the floor, but Hitsugaya coughed, wiping the violet fluid from his face in irritation. Both Kurotsuchi Mayuri and his daughter stared at him in a curious mix of horror and fascination.

"The hell was that?" the ice-captain spat, realizing that his skin was rapidly absorbing the purple fluid - somehow, as that shouldn't be possible. Kurotsuchi Mayuri licked his lips in anticipation.

"An unfinished invention of Nemu's, I believe." the mad scientist said contemplatively. "Nemu, what did you say that solution was supposed to do?"

Nemu's face was slowly turning white, and she covered her face with one hand.

"It was a gender-change medicine, sir." she said, her voice very small. "It was meant to be temporary, but I had not worked out how to erase the permanence of it, however. So as of right now...the effects are permanent."

Toushiro's cool green eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open.

"Fix it!" he commanded, a panicky growl issuing through his lips. The Twelfth Division Lieutenant, well aware of the dangers of an angry Hitsugaya Toushiro , stepped back a pace before shaking her head.

"I apologize, sir, but I spilled my only batch when I ran into you. It may take me some time to concoct the reversing medicine." she said, her dark, deep teal stare looking anywhere but at the captain standing in front of her. "...It would probably be best if you went to the Fourth Division while the medicine works to take effect."

"Damn it!" Hitsugaya cursed, looking darkly at Kurotsuchi and his daughter. "Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho, notify Unohana of this incident for me so I don't storm in and she's left baffled."

The lieutenant inclined her head, her gaze low, and even Kurotsuchi Sr. appeared suitably uncomfortable at the mention of the Fourth Division Captain's name. Oh, Unohana was going to be _pissed off_.

"I will accompany you, Hitsugaya-taicho." Nemu said in her blank manner, and with a last glare at the head of the R&D department, Hitsugaya swept outside.

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 **A/N: Review & tell me what you think! **

**Also, I know the whole makeup thing is super stereotypical, but considering that Seireitei is heavily influenced by a bunch of conservative nobles...I was having trouble coming up with things.**


	2. Reflection

**A/N: This is after the Winter War, but Ichigo keeps his powers, and the Vandenreich doesn't exist.**

 **Enjoy!**

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"Are you certain this potion works, Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho?"

Unohana's voice was cold, her tone unusually stern, and she gripped one of Toushiro's shoulders in a hold so powerful he doubted he could ever break away from it. The moment that Unohana had understood exactly what had happened, she'd shooed the pair of them into a back room and forced her younger colleague to sit on a long examination table while she mercilessly questioned the hapless lieutenant.

Nemu blinked uncomfortably.

"Yes, Unohana-taicho. Preliminary testing has been done on animals, and all results were positive, with no lasting after-effects...except that the change could not be reversed." Nemu replied in her dusty monotone. Hitsugaya watched her carefully, slowly noticing that he was starting to feel a tiny bit dizzy. He tried to hide it, though, and was on the verge of asking Nemu a question himself when suddenly his body began to feel very strange to him, as if he was inhabiting an itchy, ill-fitting gigai. He fidgeted uncomfortably, the prickling sensation crawling over his skin getting worse, his dizzy spell spiraling to such heights that he fell back onto the examination table, landing hard on his elbows. Unohana turned to him in surprise, watching as a scarlet flush spread across his face. Immediately, she switched from imposing captain to concerned doctor.

"Are you alright, Hitsugaya-taicho?" she asked, her voice worried. He managed a weak nod, pressing his hands to his temples, his entire body flush with pins and needles. It was quite possible the most uncomfortable he'd ever been in his entire afterlife. Without any further conversation, Unohana ordered Nemu to leave the room, but to stay close by in case anything went utterly wrong.

And then everything well to hell. Toushiro writhed, whimpering, every cell in his body itching with a penetrating burn, every inch of his skin prickling terribly. Unohana tried her best to keep him calm but with the awful itching and burning it was difficult, and when the crawling of his skin shifted to focus on certain _areas_ , he nearly started crying, the itch was so terrible. Unohana eventually had to restrain him with kido to prevent him from scraping off his skin.

But slowly, the itching, prickling burn that crawled over his insides and outsides alike began to die down, taking his conscious mind with it. Something was deliberately shutting him down, he realized, trying to fight the downward pull, and as he understood this he was sent sliding gracelessly into the dark.

He came to some time later, lying tucked up to his chin in warm, thick blankets, an unusual feeling of wholeness swimming through him. He could hear hushed voices speaking rapidly above him, and he listened half-heartedly, feeling quite tired. He wondered absentmindedly if it was the drug Nemu had spilled on him, then put the thought from his mind and listened to Unohana whispering hurriedly above where he lay dozing lightly.

"-ly examined Hitsugaya-taicho. He appears to be in perfect health, if worn out by the ordeal he just went through, but biologically he is now female. Even on the cellular level, he now carries two X chromosomes." she murmured gently. "It's quite remarkable, really, what Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho was able to come up with."

A short huff of impatience was heard, and then Yamamoto's grumpy, rumbling voice came through the pleasant, exhausted haze.

"This is a conundrum indeed." Yamamoto mused thoughtfully. "There's nothing wrong with this entire scenario except that a young man is now suddenly a young woman, though considering his Zanpakutou spirit's history, the change will not be detrimental. Hitsugaya-taicho will still be fully capable of performing... _his_ duties, I suppose, until this problem can be fixed."

Unohana's soft hum of agreement cut through the comfortable dark, and for a moment Toushiro listened vaguely, his mind all clouded. But then he sank back under, and knew no more.

He woke up the next day to find Matsumoto sitting at his side, her starlike-blue eyes worried. He groaned, his body aching somewhat, and sat up gingerly, puzzled by the subtle changes he could just barely perceive. His lieutenant observed him with a critical eye, patiently waiting for him to finish his mental cataloging. He always did the same with injuries.

It was odd, he thought ruefully, looking down at his hands and finding them unusually small and slender. Before, he'd had rough hands with knobbly knuckles that he hadn't liked, but now they were sort of delicate, he mused, lips curling up in the hint of a disbelieving smile. He clenched his fingers into a fist. And from what he could tell, he was still as strong as ever.

It was the same for the rest of his body. He still felt strong, his muscles still were lean and sinewy under his skin, but he seemed a bit softer around the edges. Nervously, he kicked the sheets back and looked curiously at his feet, which were also smaller and more gracefully shaped than before. His toes didn't exhibit the previous knobbly look anymore either, and his arms and legs were slightly more slender. His torso, however, was approximately the same; flat and characteristically thin, the musculature beneath his lightly toasted skin strong but ill-defined - a child's body.

He glanced up at his lieutenant, folding his hands in his lap, and curled his legs to the side, his knees pressed together beneath the soft white of his yukata. He started a bit in surprise when his thighs touched together - his anatomy had _definitely_ taken a turn for the feminine.

"Unohana-taicho informed you, I assume?" he asked calmly. Matsumoto nodded wordlessly, simply looking at him with something like wary hope in her eyes.

"All the captains know, Taicho." she revealed, her tone bright but tempered by the protective sternness Toushiro knew so well. "They're waiting to reveal it to everyone else, however. Unohana thought that you might want to pretend this didn't happen and simply go about your business as usual until Nemu creates the counter - and just in case, she placed a gag order on all the people who know."

Hitsugaya nodded absently, turning the dilemma over in his mind. He wasn't incredibly angry that he'd been accidentally turned female, but rather more annoyed that it had been done without his consent. (This was Kurotsuchi they were talking about here - nothing like that would be an accident.) However, the real question was his Division. Would they care? Worry? For such a mishap to occur to their captain could quite possibly knock them off balance for a little while. And while he didn't personally care for his reassigned sex, he had no idea how Seireitei's general population would react. Seireitei was still rather conservative in nature - this would be ground-shaking.

Toushiro wrapped his arms around himself and sighed, and his lieutenant reached out and gently ran her fingers through his white hair.

"I don't really care if people find out...but I don't want it to be made common knowledge." he sighed, his narrow little fingers twitching up to slap his lieutenant's hand away. Rangiku chuckled a bit at the characteristic response, then smiled ruefully.

"Oh, Taicho...have you looked in a mirror yet?" she asked. "Your facial structure has softened. It's not immediately noticeable to anyone who knows you...but when the new recruits see you for the first time, they're going to see a young woman - especially if you let your hair frame your face."

Toushiro felt his curiosity peak, and he cocked his head to the side.

"Really?" he asked, baffled by the insight. Matsumoto's lips stayed fixed in that smile, but now it seemed more excited.

"Oh yeah. Here, use my compact - it has a mirror in it." She passed him the small, round disk, popping the lid to reveal the mirror underneath. With a good deal of curiosity, Hitsugaya looked at his reflection.

A teenaged girl, probably around the physical age of a petite sixteen or so, looked back at him with wide green eyes. The sharp definition of his jawline and brow had been pared down to a sloping curve, and his cheekbones had just barely drifted up his face. He blinked, then ran his hand through his hair, tousling the tangled white strands into the usual spikes. Suddenly he recognized the androgyny of his facial features. With his hair spiked up, he could barely tell the difference from his usual appearance. Puzzled, he smoothed his unruly locks down again, and stared at the reappearing femininity in the mirror. Then he smiled a bit, feeling strangely whole for the first time since he'd first started feeling the twinges of confusion he'd come to associate with being gender-questioning.

"I'm kind of pretty as a girl." he said uncertainly, and Matsumoto laughed, taking her compact back from her captain

"Oh, pretty doesn't quite cover it, Taicho." she agreed. Then her expression turned saucy. "But you were always a looker, even as a boy."

"Matsumoto!"

* * *

Unohana released Hitsugaya from the Fourth after a full examination which left him blushing furiously. The concerned woman had wanted to cover all of her bases and therefore had given her younger colleague a full physical. It had required the always-bashful Hitsugaya to strip completely and allow Unohana to - in essence - evaluate his reconstructed body for any errors. She found none - thankfully the cell growth had not resulted in cancerous bulges - and promptly bid the young captain farewell.

Unable to conceal the flush which had spread across his face, Hitsugaya kept his head down and Shunpoed quickly across the Seireitei back to his division, the hakama he wore rubbing oddly against his legs. He bit his lip, trying to hide the laughter on his lips. He'd wanted to try being a girl for ages, just to see if he felt any better as a female than he did as a male, and now that he'd somehow been magically changed into a girl he was going to hide it. Just to keep his division members happy. He'd tell them eventually, of course, after he'd slipped a few feminine traits into his daily routine, one by one, and they started giving him funny looks. But this would be the perfect way to test run his new gender.

Toushiro landed lightly on top of the entrance gate to his Division and paused, suddenly feeling extremely lucky. This was the best possible way he could have made the crossover into being transgender without alarming Seireitei's conservative nobles. If he chose to stay female, he could chalk it up to "not wanting the trouble of going through that unpleasant transformation again when being female was of no concern to him" or something along those lines, and if he chose to return to masculinity, well, nobody would have a problem with _that_.

The thought made him grimace. Annoying, really.

He leapt lightly down into the midst of several of his officers, startling them with his sudden appearance. They clustered around him moments afterward, however, entreating him to answer their frantic questions with anxious faces. Everyone, it seemed, knew that he had been suddenly and inexplicably rushed to the hospital - likely a courtesy of Matsumoto's penchant for gossip - but were completely ignorant as to the cause of his sudden need for medical attention. Toushiro calmed them with some degree of difficulty, citing only a superficial accident in the Twelfth Division that Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho feared would cause adverse effects.

"Are you sure you're alright, sir?" one of his two Fourth Seats said at length, and Toushiro felt his cool facade crack into something infinitely less icy and more like the playful snowfall that swept around his blizzardy heart. A slight smile curled his lips towards his ears.

"I'm fine. Unohana herself checked me over twice." he said, shaking his head. Then he chuckled lightly, staring around in bewilderment at the eight officers he'd startled. "I didn't cause _too_ terrible of a disturbance among the men, did I?"

The same Fourth Seat shifted his stance a bit and sighed.

"Well...you see...several of the younger unseated worked themselves into a right state over your sudden disappearance." he admitted quietly. "Poor kids. At least one of them kept crying that you'd been eaten by a Hollow and nobody had thought to inform us."

Toushiro felt his initial humor subside into an exasperation, but was clearheaded enough to know that it wasn't appropriate to express his annoyance with his subordinates beyond a light, reprimanding tease - for all they knew, he could have been dying.

"Well, you can tell them now that if I catch any of them sniveling over a tale like that again, they're liable to get me angry." the young captain said carelessly, eyes flashing. "I don't take kindly to criers in my division, unless it's for good reason - the death of a close friend, as an example. But the ridiculous notion of me being eaten by a mere Hollow? Good grief, do I _look_ that weak?"

The seated officers laughed, and the Fourth Seat bowed and shook his head with a grin.

"Not in the slightest, Taicho. You're positively terrifying." he said good-naturedly, and Toushiro nodded approvingly, a smirk on his face.

"Ah, someone knows _precisely_ how to butter up their captain. What is it you want?" Hitsugaya's amusement was very clear, and the seated officers laughed again, this time at their fellow's expense. The Fourth Seat flushed a bit pink.

"Well, I'd like two weeks of leave starting Thursday." he said sheepishly, his face still pinked by a blush. Hitsugaya inclined his head briefly, and then, after studying the man's face for perhaps a second too long, had a flash of strange but quite welcome intuition and allowed his face to split in a devilish smile of impish delight.

"Oh-oh." the young captain said, grinning wickedly. "I saw that look. There's a girl in this, isn't there?"

His Fourth Seat's face turned a burnished cherry, and his comrades howled with laughter. After snapping at them - with no real heat, but snapping nonetheless - to shut up, the brunette man gave his captain an embarrassed affirmative, causing another round of laughter from his colleagues. The Fourth Seat hung his head a bit, knowing that his captain wouldn't likely let him take such an extended leave of absence for such an ill-explained purpose. But Hitsugaya watched with a slowly fading sense of wicked-child purpose, a sort of oft-felt understanding entering his mind. For a moment, he entertained the idea of suppressing the urge, then reconsidered his reassigned sex, decided to use it as an excuse, and let the kind wash of cool snow flow outwards. Hyourinmaru purred approvingly in his chest, curling more comfortably in his heart. The dragon spirit had always been benevolent to a fault; it had irked him that his master had to act so cold and cover up his softer side.

"Well." he said, smiling at his Fourth Seat. "I suppose I could let you have some time off, but only if you tell me what significance this girl has. I'm not about to let you run off on me for some fling."

The seated officers all blinked in surprise at the unexpected response, and with halting words, the Fourth Seat spoke.

"Well...you see...I was planning on proposing to my girlfriend..." he shifted uncomfortably, well aware of the dark green eyes fixed intensely on him. Hitsugaya appeared to be thinking that over, the cogs in his head turning.

"Would...ten days be enough time for you? I don't think I could stretch that any more." the Tenth Division Captain said finally, calculating the stress the absence would place on his officer hierarchy. The Fourth Seat started in surprise.

"Y-yes sir!" he said hastily, gaping at his captain. "Are...are you sure?"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"For god's sake, do you _want_ me to change my mind?" he snapped, regaining his cold air, and the brunette shook his head madly.

"No sir! Of course not, sir!" he amended hurriedly. "Thank you very much!"

Toushiro shrugged.

"I'm in a good mood today." he said by way of explanation, and smirked inwardly, for the statement was entirely true. "I think it's likely to last a decent while. You happened to ask at the right time."

The Fourth Seat thanked him again, and with a last nod, Toushiro flashed back off to his office, leaving his men murmuring in astonishment behind him. He grinned a bit, trying to hide the wholesome contentment on his young face, but as he entered the office and slid the door shut behind him, Matsumoto caught him smiling.

"Taicho, what's made you so happy?" she asked, blue eyes widening, and Hitsugaya turned to her with relief on his face.

"I can be myself now!" he cheered softly, his happiness subdued but genuine. "No more biting my tongue and pinching myself whenever I feel that I'm about to do something uncommonly softhearted. I've found a way to figure myself out!"

Matsumoto's face went bright and sweet, a smile on her face

"Oh, Taicho, that's fantastic! Tell me, what's your plan?" she said, rising from the sofa and coming across the room to lead her captain to his chair. He sat down comfortably, kicking his feet out aimlessly.

"Well, I'll have to start out slow, but I figure I can start experimenting more visibly now." he said, taking a folder from his inbox and opening it up, spreading the files out over his desk. "When people finally start asking me what's going on, I'll come out and tell them about the accident at the Twelfth in more detail - right now all they know is that there was a spill, and I was splashed. People will assume there are hormones or something affecting my behavior, and I can continue on until Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho finds a cure, or until I resolve to stay like this. And people should be used to me behaving oddly by then, so there won't be as harsh of a transition if I decide that I _am_ actually female."

Matsumoto blinked at the simplicity of his design and sat slowly down on the edge of his desk.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Taicho?" she asked gently, and Toushiro paused, looking up with something like pleading in his startlingly green eyes.

"You try living when you're uncomfortable in your own skin." he said despondently, gripping his pen tightly in his hand. "It's terrible, knowing that your instincts don't align with your sex, knowing that you have to control yourself all the time. It's why I attained Bankai so quickly, to be honest - I already had superb self-control."

Matsumoto sighed deeply, then leaned back against one of the pillows in the couch and smiled faintly at her captain.

"I don't doubt it, Taicho. I just want you to be sure that this is what you want right now." she explained. Toushiro looked up, blinking.

"I have the perfect opportunity to exploit." he said matter-of-factly. "I won't have a chance like this again."

Matsumoto smiled widely then.

"Then I'll have to start planning! I'll go draw up a to-do list, Taicho, see you later~!"

"Wait, Matsu-"

BANG. The door slammed shut behind his lieutenant, and Hitsugaya glared at the paperwork hiding under the couch.

"MATSUMOTO!"

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 **Please leave your thoughts and constructive criticisms in that little box down there! I'm trying my best to write this realistically, but I don't want anyone to be too OOC...**


	3. Brownies

**A/N: Here we go! :D Also, there is a plot beyond Hitsugaya-san simply trying to figure out whether or not he's transgender - though it DOES center around that theme!**

* * *

Rangiku met him bright and early the next day in the office - unusually for her - and spent the next three hours whirling through her paperwork like a woman possessed. And when she was done, she even slipped a stack of paperwork off her captain's desk and completed that without his knowledge. Toushiro, therefore, was amazed to find that he and Matsumoto both were entirely done with work at eleven o'clock in the morning. He positively gaped at his empty desk, stammering confused questions, until Matsumoto gently led him over to the couch and sat him down with a warm cup of his favorite tea.

He sipped at the tea in a state of shock, and Rangiku cooed soothing words to him for several minutes while the poor young man tried to adjust to being presented with so much free time. Eventually, however, he finished the tea, and Rangiku slid a sheet of paper into his hands, filled with her sloppy yet pretty handwriting.

"I made you a list of things to try while you're going to be experimenting with being a girl." she said, smiling brightly. "I think we can start a few of them now. And feel free to let me know if any of them make you uncomfortable."

Toushiro blinked at his lieutenant, then glared.

"All this time you could have been doing paperwork, and then we both would've had free time..." he grumbled, but dutifully glanced over the list that his lieutenant had made. At the top, in curly lettering, were the words "Bucket List," and below that was a bulleted list of various things he should try. He read it with some curiosity, noting that a few of the various ideas Matsumoto had were fairly stereotypical: shopping, makeovers, and accessorizing. However, others were fairly typical adventures for all genders: art classes, movie marathons, and various types of sports. He looked up at her, biting his lip, and cocked his head to the side.

"...where should I start?" he asked helplessly. His lieutenant reached out and tapped the top of the sheet of paper. Hitsugaya read the note there with some exasperation.

"Really, Matsumoto? Do whatever I want?" he deadpanned, and Matsumoto laughed.

"It's your own identity you're trying to figure out. You have to make all the decisions." she said, an unusual smile on her lips. "I've begged permission from Unohana-taicho and the Soutaicho jointly to allow you to slip off to the World of the Living when you have time off - like you do right now. So if you want to try something there, you can."

Hitsugaya worried his lower lip with his teeth, chewing slowly, then finally tapped something on the sheet of paper.

"This one to start off, I think." he said decisively. Matsumoto clapped her hands together, looking delighted.

"Ooh! Taicho, can I help you?" she asked, bouncing up and down on the sofa, and Toushiro looked at her for a moment, considering, then nodded.

"It's always better with friends, I suppose." he said softly.

A sudden silence fell, and Matsumoto looked at him strangely. He paused, lifted his head, then realized he'd let his tongue slip. He sighed.

"Yes, I called you my friend, get over it already." he said, lips curling. "You're one of the few people who I'd trust with my life."

The buxom woman covered her mouth with her hand, but Toushiro had already stood up and seized his lieutenant by the wrist, completely ignoring her disbelief and gratitude, in favor of fleeing his office, his grip surprisingly strong. After a moment, Matsumoto yielded to her captain's pull and followed him willingly to his spacious home at the back of the Tenth Division.

They had work to do.

* * *

Hinamori knocked on her little brother's office door again, her brows furrowing together. There was no answer from inside, and it worried her. She'd never known Toushiro to be absent from his desk unless he was deathly ill or in the ICU, but she'd heard that he had been released from the Fourth yesterday with a clean bill of health. So...where was he?

She closed her eyes, picking out her little brother's fresh, winter-clear reiatsu at the back of his division. Matsumoto was there too, her aura bubbly and excited. Hinamori paused, frowning, then Shunpoed off in her younger brother's direction. She came to a halt just outside his house, her brow furrowed, then started in surprise and sniffed the air.

Was that...chocolate?

Curious rather than worried now, she went up to her brother's door and knocked. For a long minute there was no answer, only the clang of metal on stone, a hurried curse, and then Matsumoto's ebullient laughter drifting towards the door. With a puff of something like flour, the door slid open, revealing a t-shirt clad Matsumoto with white-powdered hands and jeans.

"Oh! Momo-chan!" the buxom blonde woman said in surprise. "Taicho, Momo-chan is here!"

There was an indistinct murmur from inside the house, and Matsumoto's expression turned incredulous.

"Oh, for the Soul King's sake, she's your _sister_ , Taicho, don't be silly. Besides, she could join in the fun!"

A weary sigh came from inside, accompanied by a softly-voiced acquiescence, and Matsumoto cheered and grabbed Hinamori by the hand.

"Come in, come in!" she babbled happily, sliding the door shut behind the startled Lieutenant, and dragged the hapless girl towards Hitsugaya's kitchen. Momo squeaked in surprise, wriggling against the older woman's grip, then stopped short as they stepped into her brother's polished kitchen. She'd been here before, so the luxury of her brother's western-styled home didn't blindside her, but _Toushiro...?_

"H-hey, Hinamori." he said, his voice much shyer than was usual for him. He seemed very nervous, and _oh-my-god-are-his-hands-shaking!?_ Momo gaped for a moment at the sight before her, utterly flabbergasted by her brother's appearance. Then she recovered herself and swallowed hard, feeling distinctly unsure of herself.

"...the color goes nicely with your eyes, Shiro-chan..." she said, trying to process the sight before her, but it seemed that she'd said exactly the right thing. Toushiro's eyes lit up, his hands stilling incrementally, and he turned to look at her, his expression erring on the side of hopeful pleading. She couldn't help but stare in disbelief as he faced her fully.

Hitsugaya - ever-strong, ever-cold Captain Hitsugaya Toushiro - had combed his silky, soft white hair down from its spiky wildness and allowed the white wisps to curl prettily along his cheeks, a thick chunk of brand-new bangs sweeping like a gentle waterfall across his forehead. It was a distinctly feminine hairstyle - like an edgy, choppy pixie cut that had grown into an almost-bob - and holding the rest of his thick hair away from his face was a bright teal headband patterned with white paisley. His face...also looked different. It was softer. Prettier.

And he was baking.

Hinamori didn't think she'd ever seen her brother bake before, but there on the clean, pale grey countertop was a mixing bowl filled with a gooey, chocolaty mess. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and a pair of casual, close-fitting yoga pants - obviously off-duty, and both were dotted with specks of flour, like Matsumoto's clothes.

Toushiro shifted uncomfortably under his sister stare, his cheeks beginning to flush a pale pink, his gaze dropping with something like shame and cringing fear, and with a burst of horror Momo realized that she'd been looking at her brother like some sort of sideshow. She shook herself. Yes, this was weird. Yes, she was completely thunderstruck. No, it was NOT okay to stare.

"...um..." she said, mentally slapping herself for her intelligence - or current lack thereof. "...um, what are you baking, Shiro-chan?"

Toushiro's expression dropped. He looked hurt, and Momo knew that her blatant gaping had probably made him feel terrible. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. But it wasn't _entirely_ her fault, she reasoned. It wasn't every day that a boy you'd known since childhood suddenly looked like a girl without any prior warning. An apology would probably help, though, as soon as she figured out exactly _why_ Toushiro was wearing one of Matsumoto's headbands.

"...brownies." he admitted quietly, and Momo took a deep breath.

"...could I help too?" she asked timidly, and Hitsugaya jerked his head up to stare incredulously at her. She smiled sheepishly at him.

"Brownies - and chocolate - are a girl's best friend, Shiro-chan." she told him, lifting her nose a bit. "And it's not right to ask to eat them unless you help make them. Besides, Rangiku-san always puts weird things in her brownies, and you want to be sure you make a batch without weird things, just in case you don't like her...creativity."

Matsumoto, who'd been silently observing the exchange with all the protective animosity of a mother panther, suddenly dropped her wary glare and pouted.

"Hey! It's not my fault you don't have my advanced palate!" she protested, and Momo shot her an amused glance.

"You tried to put tomatoes and vinegar in the cookies I was making the last time I baked with you!" she said, shivering. "Honestly, Rangiku-san, your taste buds are weird!"

"They are not!"

Toushiro's slight smile began to come back, but he still seemed distinctly unsure of Hinamori's attitude towards him.

"...Hinamori...I..." he started uneasily, but Momo waved her hand at him flippantly, shushing him in midsentence.

"Tell me what Rangiku-san told you to put in the batter, Shiro-chan." she demanded. "And the next time you bake..."

She pulled the pretty headband out her brother's hair, ignoring the way his face fell and grew red with burning humiliation, then stiffened as Momo swept his new bangs away from his lightly-tanned forehead and pushed the headband back into her brother's white hair, pinning all of the glossy white strands behind his ears.

"...keep _all_ of your hair out of your face." she said with a smile. "You don't want anything yucky getting into _your_ hair - you won't be able to hide it unless it's flour."

Toushiro stared at her for a long moment, then lowered his head.

"...this doesn't bother you?" he asked quietly, and Momo tossed her head.

"Of _course_ this bothers me." she sniped at him, watching the hurt flash across his face again. "You're kinda crossdressing, just a little bit. It's weird and I've never seen you do this before. But that's not the point. You didn't _tell_ me you had an interest in anything like this. You pretended in front of me, and that hurts."

Toushiro blinked, obviously not expecting that, and Hinamori shook her finger at him.

"I don't have problem with you wearing headbands or makeup or even skirts and dresses, if you choose to do that. It's initially a shock, but I'll get over it." she said, matter-of-factly. "But for goodness sake, don't you _hide_ something like this from me again, or I'll make you wish you'd never been born, Hitsugaya Toushiro!"

Toushiro's jaw dropped, and Matsumoto's laughter pealed around the kitchen like bells. Momo grinned broadly, the slowly forming thought of possibly having a sister in the near future making her smile.

"Now, tell me what crazy things Matsumoto made you put in that batter, and we'll try to fix it."

"...okay...?"

* * *

 **Review & critique so I can do my best, please!**


	4. Blush for Me

**A/N: Yeah, Hitsugaya-chan is going to act pretty shy in this chapter. But then again, wouldn't YOU be nervous about coming out of the closet? He'll gain confidence though!**

 **Also, the initial fluff will move fairly quickly. There IS actually a plot, after all. (Not to say that there won't be fluff - there's going to be a TON)**

* * *

The next day, when Toushiro sat down on the couch in his office and pulled out his lunch during his break, he brought two brownies with him. One was for Matsumoto - she had in fact slipped a few ingredients into the batter behind his back, according to Hinamori, who'd tasted it and almost immediately run to the trash can to spit it out. He'd given his second a violent tongue-lashing, then poured most of the disgusting mix out and baked the rest specifically for her.

The other batch, however, Hinamori had helped him bake, and he had to say, they turned out very well. He'd eaten three last night, much to Momo's delight, and they'd made plans to bake again in the future.

"Matsumoto, brownie?" he asked, and she looked up from where she'd been working on her paperwork in surprise. Then she smiled.

"Sure!" she accepted the wrapped little square with a little bow of thanks. "You're so sweet, Taicho."

"Oh, shut up." he snapped, but his lips were twitching. "I don't need my reputation ruined by you."

She laughed, biting into the brownie and humming happily.

"Mmm. You sure you don't want to try it, Taicho? It's got mustard and asparagus!" she asked. Toushiro rolled his eyes and made a face at his lieutenant.

"Ew, gross." he replied, wrinkling his nose in repulsion. "Does it have legs too? Because I'm almost positive that thing is so inedible it's actually a mutated Hollow."

Matsumoto laughed again and took an exaggerated bite out of it, making sure to overemphasize her delight. Toushiro gagged.

"You're _disgusting_. Either that or all of your taste buds have died." he said, looking pointedly back at his bento box and lifting his chopsticks. He set his brownie aside for later, focusing on eating his lunch for the time being.

Matsumoto just grinned at him and finished her mutant brownie with a satisfied smirk. For a brief while, the two of them ate in silence, but by the time Toushiro finished his lunch, brownie included, Rangiku had slipped over to his desk and taken the pile of the reports he usually did for her and returned to her work. Hitsugaya blinked, watching the paperwork leave his desk, stunned. Two days in a row? What was this, witchcraft? Had he fallen into an alternate universe?

"Matsumoto...what's inspired you to suddenly start acting like a responsible adult?" he asked, baffled. She turned to look back at him, her face suddenly saddening.

"Well..." she said hesitantly. "...I've sort of been thinking about how you...well, you remember how I found out."

Hitsugaya's cheeks went a pretty shade of pink, but he kept his composure otherwise and nodded briefly. Matsumoto started toying with her long, blonde hair.

"Anyway, I was thinking about that." she started again. "And...I'd known for a while that you were unsure of your gender identity. So I was wondering why you hadn't, well... _figured it out_ yet and I realized that my slacking was taking up all of your free time. You...you barely had any time to yourself to puzzle your feelings out, and I was only adding to that, so..."

Toushiro positively stared.

"You...you're doing this to give me time?" he asked. Matsumoto nodded, crossing her arms over her ample chest.

"...I didn't realize how hard I was making you work by slacking, Taicho." she apologized gently. "But...I don't know. The past few times I found you passed out over your desk...I knew it was definitely my fault. This was the final straw."

Toushiro glanced at the single report lying in his inbox with a strange look in his eyes.

"...thank you, I suppose." he said, his tone crisp, the jade of his icy gaze softening to a lively emerald, picking up that last folder and opening it with his slender fingers. He began reading through one of his Thirteenth's Seats' Living World update carefully, noting everything in the vast databank of his prodigy brain.

Matsumoto watched him for a few moments, then finished her paperwork, and an hour after lunch both captain and lieutenant were again blissfully done with work. Toushiro leaned back against the stiff wooden back of his chair, smiling faintly. For a long minute there was silence, and then the young man (woman) grinned.

"Living World?"

Matsumoto positively cheered.

"Oh, that's perfect!" she bubbled happily. "We should take Momo-chan with us - and maybe we can meet up with Orihime-chan and Rukia-chan too!"

Toushiro started a bit, then glanced away, looking nervous. Matsumoto caught his expression and smiled.

"Trust me, Taicho." she told him, and the young shinigami sighed deeply. Then he stood up and nodded.

"Always."

* * *

The noise of Karakura Town hit him hard, but Matsumoto and Hinamori seemed to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the small city. Toushiro looked around at the tall buildings in no slight confusion, wondering as always why the humans felt the need to make everything so big and bulky. His nose wrinkled up, his derision showing through, but then Urahara was walking out of his shop towards them, seeming puzzled.

"My, my, my, what business could two Lieutenants and a Captain have in Karakura Town now? I thought all the big baddies were gone?" he asked slyly, hiding his face behind his fan and hat. Yoruichi slunk around his ankles in cat form, her golden eyes glinting. She cocked her head to the side, regarding the young captain appraisingly. Toushiro eyed her back, his stare cool, then flicked that icy emerald glare onto her longtime friend.

"I'm slacking off, Urahara." he deadpanned, though to be perfectly honest, he wasn't lying. The ex-captain shopkeeper gasped in mock surprise.

"No, that isn't possible!" he pretended to swoon, smirking behind his fan. "What has the world come to?"

"Oh, stop that." Toushiro snapped, annoyed, crossing his arms over his chest with a hint of pink tinting his gold-toned cheeks. His tan hadn't faded much despite the winter sun - something which he knew made Matsumoto and Hinamori very jealous. "I need some time to relax - Matsumoto's caught me passed out over my desk one too many times."

Urahara raised an eyebrow, but thankfully didn't test the young dragon's infamous temper.

"I suppose you'll be wanting your gigai?"

Hitsugaya inclined his head incrementally.

"One for each of us three." he acknowledged, but Yoruichi spoke up unexpectedly, interrupting their conversation with a softening glance at the ice-spirit before her.

"Kisuke, you'll need to make some modifications to Hitsugaya-chan's gigai." she said in her masculine voice, her tone unexpectedly understanding. Toushiro stared at her, flickers of mixed disbelief and anxiety passing across his face, and Urahara dropped his fan to his side in surprise. Yoruichi blinked calmly at the both of them.

"Your scent has changed, Hitsugaya-chan." she told him. "Estrogen has a much sweeter smell than testosterone."

Toushiro's face went very pink, and he averted his eyes, his cheeks burning furiously. Urahara and Yoruichi watched passively, and then Yoruichi padded over to the young captain and rubbed up against his legs, purring. He started a bit, and looked down at her, worry in his eyes.

"How?" the cat asked, curiosity evident in her eyes. Toushiro swallowed.

"Accident." he said, his voice short. "Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho was working on something and spilled it all over me."

The cat pulled away a bit, a calculating glint in her eyes.

"You wield the legendary dragon, Hyourinmaru, don't you?"

Toushiro's gaze narrowed to thin jade slits.

"Yeah, and?" he challenged, baffled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Yoruichi's tail flicked idly.

"Traditionally, wielders of dragon-Zanpakutou are female. In fact, according to the Shihoin Clan's records, _all_ the recorded, previous owners of Hyourinmaru have been female except you." she said calmly. "...I don't think you're as opposed to this change as you appear to be."

Toushiro stiffened, and Urahara and Yoruichi laughed a bit at his stricken expression. Matsumoto and Hinamori stepped in front of him, eyes blazing, and the pair quieted, still looking amused.

"Oh, don't you get all defensive on me; I'm not going to bite." Yoruichi grinned. "My little brother is transgender now, but he was gender-questioning for almost thirty-five years. I know the signs, and you've shown quite a few of them."

Toushiro's jaw dropped.

"In the Shihoin House? The nobles _hate_ that!" he gaped, and the cat laughed again.

"Oh yeah. It was a hell of a time trying to change his name and get the medicine he needed to suppress puberty, and we don't think my parents or the elders would have gone along with it, but I forced them, and well...Yuushirou still looks a bit like a girl. And now he's the Head of the Shihoin House, so they can't go against him...it's fantastic." Yoruichi's tail flicked cheerfully. "Now, come on, Hitsugaya-chan. Let's get your gigai fixed, shall we?"

Toushiro sighed, but allowed the Shihoin princess to lead him inside, Urahara, Matsumoto and Hinamori following close behind.

The three shinigami were led to the front room and seated around a small circular table with cups of green tea while Urahara and Yoruichi trotted off to gather the gigai. For a brief moment the trio sat in silence, but then Yoruichi came bounding back in in her human form, dressed in jeans and a pretty orange blouse, carrying Matsumoto's gigai.

"Here you go, Matsumoto-san." Yoruichi said, handing her the gigai she'd used what felt like a lifetime ago. "You can borrow clothes from my closet if you don't like the dress, but it seems like something you'd wear."

Matsumoto looked at the billowy, long-sleeve violet dress with interest.

"No, you're right. This is fine." she said, smiling and murmuring the incantation she needed to slip inside the false body. Yoruichi grinned, then turned to look at Momo and Toushiro.

"You two can borrow from Ururu and Jinta, doesn't matter which." she said, winking specifically at Toushiro, who averted his gaze to the ground, a faint smile on his lips. "Come on, let's go get the outfits picked out."

Momo took her brother's hand and yanked him up from the ground, and dragged him off after the Shihoin princess's retreating figure. He followed with a half-hearted protest, accompanied by Matsumoto's giggles and Momo's knowing smile. But he was smiling faintly, and with unusual decisiveness he followed his sister into Ururu's room.

The three came out of Urahara's shop in their gigais just as Rukia and Orihime trotted up, Ichigo and Chad in tow. Orihime's eyes lit up upon seeing Rangiku and Momo, but Toushiro, panicking inwardly, had hidden himself inside the shop before the others could see him.

"Oh no..." Matsumoto said softly to herself, turning back to look at the closed door. Orihime and the others bounded forward to meet the two Lieutenants.

"Rangiku-san, what's wrong?" Orihime asked worriedly. "I don't sense anything..."

"Neither do I - that's the problem." Matsumoto answered sadly. She exchanged a long look with Momo, who also looked saddened, then smiled at the four before her.

"Just a moment." she said, apologizing. "The third member of our group is...well, having confidence issues for lack of a better word. Hence the hidden reiatsu."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Confidence issues? Why?" he asked, baffled. Matsumoto sighed.

"Well...this person is going through a transition at the moment, and we're not entirely sure if anyone will respond to this positively...thus said person is somewhat people-shy at the moment..." she explained uneasily. Ichigo's face suddenly changed.

"Oh." he said eloquently, and Orihime cocked her head to the side.

"Um...Rangiku-san, what kind of transition are you talking about?" the sweet seventeen-year-old asked. Matsumoto fidgeted a bit, glancing back at Urahara's shop.

"A...a gender transition. They're questioning their gender identity right now so they're experimenting-"

Ichigo and Rukia burst into loud laughter, and Chad smiled. Orihime giggled behind a hand.

"Matsumoto-fukutaicho, Ichigo is bisexual, and Chad is gay." Rukia said, grinning. "And there's a lesbian girl in his class that can't keep her hands off Orihime-chan's chest. The human world can handle a gender-questioning person if it can handle two guys making out."

Matsumoto and Momo stared, and Ichigo grinned.

"Yeah, I know. My dad freaked when I told him, but he's an idiot anyway, and he got over it pretty quick." the orange-haired teenager said, smirking. "Chad and I actually were dating up until a few months ago."

Momo gasped.

"Oh...oh, I'm sorry..." she said, her voice small, but both Chad and Ichigo smiled.

"It's fine." Chad said in his deep, calm voice. "We are still friends. Our relationship simply changed. It did not shatter."

Momo smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness." she said, her expression bright. Then she also looked over her shoulder at the door.

"If you heard that, then come on out!" she called cheerfully. "Don't make me start calling you nicknames!"

Inside the door, a smooth, cool voice answered in a sharp shout.

"Don't you dare, Bedwetter Momo!"

Hinamori went stiff.

"Mou, Shiro-chan! Rude!" she fired back, and the dawning realization on Rukia's face culminated in a collective gasp from all four of the Living-World group as a petite young woman with an edgy white pixie-bob stepped out from behind the door, blushing faintly, a grinning Yoruichi and chuckling Urahara visible in the store behind her. The sound of four jaws hitting the ground in quick succession echoed in the courtyard.

Toushiro stalked forward, dressed in a pair of black, high-top converse and a pretty lilac skater-dress patterned with black fleur-de-lis. A black headband held half of his white hair away from his face, accentuating the feminine curve of his facial features.

"Oh god..." Ichigo muttered, watching the young crossdresser stormed forward and proceeded to berate a grinning Momo for the nickname incident. Rukia sidled up to him, gave him a knowing look, then smiled widely.

"Hitsugaya-taicho!" she said, greeting the crossdressing captain with a deep bow. Toushiro jumped, just then realizing that he had an audience. He swallowed hard.

"Kuchiki..." he said, the sweet gold of his tan draining away. She bowed again.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, would you prefer me to address you as sir or ma'am?" she asked with a smile, and all the tension suddenly went out of the young captain's shoulders. The emerald of his eyes went soft and he sighed.

"I still use male pronouns for now." he said, shifting a bit. "...I'm just experimenting, like Matsumoto said."

Ichigo sighed, drawing all the attention to him.

"Pity you're not certain yet." he said, grinning at Hitsugaya with a wide grin. "You're damn beautiful in a dress."

Scarlet washed over Toushiro's cheeks and his mouth fell open in a pretty pink 'o' of astonishment. Orihime and Chad laughed a bit, and as Matsumoto and Hinamori grinned behind him, Hitsugaya wrapped his arms around his feminized body and allowed a smile to twitch at his lips.

"...thank you, Kurosaki." he said, and Ichigo shrugged.

"What?" he asked. "You were hot as a guy too. Gender doesn't really bother me."

Toushiro blushed again, scowling uncertainly at the ground, and Matsumoto stepped forward, draping an arm over her captain's shoulders.

"Taicho, Hinamori, and I were going to go shopping and get him a few things to smuggle back to Seireitei so he can 'experiment' during his time at home without having to come all the way out here." she said, smiling. "Do you want to come along?"

Rukia smiled and flashed a peace sign.

"I'm in!" she said ecstatically. "Shopping's not usually my thing, but this sounds like a lot of fun!"

Orihime nodded.

"Me too!" she said, smiling brightly. Ichigo sighed, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"I suppose you'll need someone to carry everything." he said. Chad looked at him for a long moment, then turned a soulful, dark brown gaze onto Hitsugaya. Something knowing seemed to flare up in his eyes. Then he bowed a bit

"If you'll excuse me...I must buy groceries." he said. Matsumoto pouted, and Ichigo frowned.

"You sure, Chad?" the substitute shinigami asked. The broad-shouldered teenager nodded.

"Of course. And Ichigo..." Chad leaned over and whispered something in Ichigo's ear - something that made the teenager freeze in place and turn a brilliant shade of crimson. The shinigami and Orihime watched with interest as Ichigo spluttered and pushed the taller boy away.

"Chad!" he hissed, but the half-Mexican teenager only smiled enigmatically and walked off, leaving Ichigo with the group of girls and the crossdressing captain. He sighed.

"Alright. I'm the bag boy." he said, resigned, and Matsumoto squealed and wrapped her arms around the teenager, who flailed.

"Yay! Thanks, Ichigo-kun!" the busty woman squeaked. Toushiro stepped forward, a pang of annoyance flaring in his chest.

"Oi, Matsumoto! You're suffocating him!"

The bouncy lieutenant let the seventeen-year-old boy go and seized her captain's slender hand.

"Come on, Taicho, let's get you some pretty things!"

Toushiro sighed, but allowed a smile to break apart his icy scowl and the group of six darted off towards the nearest mall, led by Matsumoto.

* * *

 **Review and critique, please and thank you!**


	5. Bittersweets

**A/N: Welp, here's another one. Featuring Ukitake!**

 **Also, if anyone wants a single spoiler sentence for the next chapter, leave a review! ;) (hint - There's more plot in there, and more IchiHitsu. Take your pick of which!)**

 **Also, I don't have a beta. Anyone interested?**

* * *

"The blue one looks really good on you, Toushiro." Ichigo said, watching as the young captain - at Matsumoto's behest - showed off the off-the-shoulder dress he was currently trying on. Ichigo had been deemed the 'judge' by Matsumoto and Rukia, and so he sat just outside the changing rooms with his legs crossed, giving his opinion on each new outfit as the girls and Toushiro came forward and asked.

Toushiro blushed and spun around, causing the skirt of the rich blue skater-dress to flare out, the geometric pattern on its surface rippling. Ichigo grinned.

"Seriously, you're killing it." he said, and Toushiro stopped, facing the orange-headed substitute, smiling faintly.

"You don't have to compliment me so often." he said, and Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I do." he returned, then shifted his attention to his dark-haired shinigami friend. "Rukia, I don't know if that cotton-candy pink is really your color. Maybe try something a shade cooler?"

Rukia considered his advice for a moment.

"How about an ice-pink?" she asked. Ichigo seemed to agree.

"Probably, if you can find that color." he confirmed, watching Rukia disappear back into the large boutique they were in. Toushiro looked at him in amazement.

"How do you know so much about women's clothing?" he questioned, puzzled, and Ichigo smiled at the young captain.

"Two little sisters." he said with a grin. "I take them shopping now 'cause our dad is insane. Karin looks a lot like Rukia and Hinamori-san so I'm using her color palate to help, and Yuzu is...oh, she has a few more shades of honey in her skin, so she's more like Rangiku-san or Inoue."

Toushiro raised a thin white eyebrow.

"So whose color palate are you using on me?" he asked, curious. Ichigo's face went a bit red, and he grinned sheepishly.

"You...well...er, that I'm just calling like I see it." he admitted, his tone a tad shamefaced though he was grinning like an idiot. "You're...er, your tan is darker and golder than anything my family can pull off."

The ice-spirit tipped his head to the side.

"So you're winging it?" he asked, and Ichigo nodded.

"Yeah..." he said. "But I'm not lying. That blue looks stunning on you."

Toushiro, who hadn't realized up until that exact moment how close he'd drifted to the taller boy, went a beautiful shade of golden-rose. His lips moved soundlessly, gaping up at Ichigo's sincere expression. Then he ducked his head and looked away, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.

"Moron." he scoffed, and Ichigo grinned stupidly, laughing.

Matsumoto watched her captain carefully, folding the patterned blouse she'd just tried on and putting her borrowed purple dress back on. Hitsugaya seemed to be enjoying himself, though not because of the clothes. She watched the slight bounce in the skirt of the dress he was wearing as he shifted, smiling faintly up at Kurosaki. Her expression softened.

Rukia sidled up next to the blonde woman.

"You see it too?" the Kuchiki princess asked, her voice barely a whisper. Matsumoto nodded.

"Taicho's always admired Ichigo-kun." Matsumoto hissed back, in awe. "But...I didn't know it was like that..."

Rukia giggled under her breath.

"Oh, Ichigo's totally smitten." she said, grinning. "He's acting completely dopey. All they need is a little push..."

Matsumoto shook her head, frowning.

"Taicho isn't like that." she said, looking slightly upset. "He'll shut down pretty quick if we make a big deal out of this. Let it happen naturally."

Rukia gave the buxom lieutenant a sharp look.

"You're not going to play matchmaker?" she asked. "That's a first..."

Momo bounded up beside them, a pretty yellow dress folded over her arm.

"Rangiku-san is right, Kuchiki-san." she said, smiling. "My brother doesn't open up easily. The best way to push him into something is to leave him alone."

She turned then and waved at her brother.

"Shiro-chan, are you going to get that?" she asked. Toushiro spun on his heel, looking at her, then snuck a glance at Ichigo, contemplating.

"...yeah, I think so." he said, smoothing down the skirt of the dress with a partially hidden smile. His thick white bangs obscured the glint of cheer in his sparking emerald eyes. "And the black skirt too."

Momo clapped her hands together.

"And the cute green shirt that goes with it?" she asked. Toushiro shrugged.

"Okay." he said. "Then what next?"

Momo smiled.

"Shoes, of course." she said with a bright smile. "You can't run around in modern clothes while wearing waraji - it's weird."

Toushiro started chewing on his lower lip, glancing down at the black Converse on his feet.

"I...I kinda like these." he said, and Momo rolled her eyes.

"Well, we can get you a pair of those, then." she said with a smile. "But those are Ururu's - you can't keep them."

Toushiro raised an eyebrow in his sister's direction and crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot twice on the store's tile floor.

"I'm well aware of that." he said crisply, and Momo nodded.

"Okay then. You go change back into the dress Ururu-chan lent you, and everyone give me their purchases so I can go pay."

The girls quickly changed back into the original clothes that they'd worn, then came back out of the dressing rooms with their items in tow, which were promptly passed to Momo, who went up to pay for them. Then the group - Ichigo graciously toting their bags - went to buy shoes. Momo and Rukia ended up not getting anything, and Matsumoto was berated by her captain into leaving the pair of glitzy high heels alone, but Orihime bought herself a pair of warm brown boots, and Toushiro got the high-top Converse he liked in the same shade of pitch black. But then they all left for Urahara's shop. They had to drop off their gigai and convert the clothing to reishi so they could be worn in Soul Society. Urahara was more than happy to do that for them, and after Yoruichi hissed at him, in her human form no less, he converted their purchases entirely free of charge.

Ichigo watched as Hinamori bounced back through the Senkaimon in her shihakusho, followed closely by Matsumoto, then cleared his throat just before Toushiro stepped back through.

"...Er, Toushiro?" he asked. The haori-clad captain spun around, his hair spiked up again. He seemed almost exactly like his old self then, cold and commanding, but Ichigo took a deep breath, holding the picture of the blushing young crossdresser firmly in his mind. He gathered his confidence.

"Yes, Kurosaki?" the young man asked curiously, blinking owlishly. Ichigo grinned sheepishly.

"You know, if you come back to the Living World, call me." he said finally, smiling. "I don't know what you're doing to try and figure yourself out...but my sisters have a ton of movies, and there's an amusement park not far from here. And then there's the beach, if you want to try that again no that it's not so hot outside. It's a pretty nice to picnic in the fall."

Toushiro tipped his head to the side, the ghost of a smile passing across his gold-toned face.

"...thank you, Kurosaki. I'll keep that in mind." the ice-captain said. Ichigo grinned.

"And if you decide to do anything crazy in Seireitei, invite me!" he exclaimed, smirking. "I'd be totally up for wreaking some havoc."

Toushiro laughed, his haori billowing around his ankles.

"Your very **presence** causes havoc, Kurosaki." he said, and his heart skipped a beat at the brilliant smile on the half-human teenager's face. "...but I suppose Seireitei could handle it."

He turned back into the bright glow of the Senkaimon and with a slightly shy wave over his shoulder, bid the human teenager goodbye and sped back to Soul Society. Somewhere ahead of him, Matsumoto and Hinamori shared a knowing look, and immediately began texting Rukia.

They had a couple to ship.

* * *

Toushiro stared. And stared. And stared. His reflection stared back at him with equal incredulity, his torso suddenly slightly terrifying. With agonizing lassitude, he turned into profile and cursed under his breath. It wasn't noticeable through the bulk of his shihakusho, but in only the shitagi...his chest definitely looked like it was starting to swell. It suddenly hit him like a bolt of lightning.

Girls hit puberty sooner on average than guys did. Like, years sooner. And Unohana had said during his last checkup as a male that he would be showing signs of puberty that year. Which meant...

He slumped to the ground and leaned back against the footrest of his bed, wrapping his arms around himself and gasping in distress at the feel of the slight, still-developing curves hidden beneath his shitagi. This would make it almost impossible to hide his reassigned gender, and then it was only a matter of time before the noble houses started to harass him - and harass him they would, probably to the point of calling for his arrest and dishonorable discharge. He buried his face in his hands, trying to hold himself together.

Could he do this? When he'd come up with his plan to slowly slide his feminine traits into his daily routine, he hadn't considered that he might be working under a time constraint. He'd thought that he'd be able to gradually reveal his true self to his men and colleagues. But...

Someone knocked softly on his door, and he recognized the gentle ashy flicker of his lieutenant's reiatsu and the concerned warmth of Ukitake's flare of power. "Taicho, are you alright?"

He realized then that it was nearing ten o'clock and he had yet to report in to work. No wonder those two were concerned. Shakily, he answered.

"I-I'm fine, Matsumoto." he said, cursing the tremble in his words. Matsumoto's voice drifted down his hallway again, the worry in her tone clearly evident.

"Taicho, can Ukitake-taicho and I come in?" she asked. Toushiro took a deep breath.

"Yeah..."

The sound of his front door being unlocked and sliding open was painfully audible, but thankfully the sound of his door closing came quickly after that, and he heard Matsumoto flit lightly down the hall leading to his bedroom, Ukitake just behind her. She slipped inside his room quietly, blue gaze flashing worry, then dropped down to his side and wrapped her arms around him. He shuddered reflexively, confused as to why he was feeling so terribly anxious, and Ukitake, who had entered the room just behind his lieutenant, flared his reiatsu and gently anchored his younger colleague.

"Taicho...?" she murmured. He swallowed hard.

"D-do you feel it, Matsumoto?" he asked, his voice cracking on the last syllable. "Oh...oh hell, I don't know what to do. It's only been two weeks..."

Matsumoto hugged him more tightly, then froze. Ukitake watched, baffled, as the woman dropped her hands and put them on her captain's shoulders.

"Oh..." she breathed. "Oh, _Toushiro_..."

He stiffened at the sound of his name washing over him, and Ukitake - saint that he was - broke into the silence with a worried kindness so like him that Hitsugaya felt his sudden burst of unexplained anxiety melt away.

"Matsumoto-san, Hitsugaya-kun, what's wrong?" he asked, brown eyes shining, and Toushiro choked out a gasping giggle.

"Oh...shit, I've hit puberty." he said weakly. "Holy crap..."

Matsumoto laughed faintly, burying her head in her captain's shoulder, and Ukitake's eyes rounded out in innocent understanding.

"Taicho, don't you ever scare us like that again." Matsumoto said, half-serious. "And here I thought you'd been murdered when you didn't show up to the office."

Ukitake sat down across from the pair of Tenth Division officers with a terribly relieved sigh, then shook his head.

"My goodness." he said faintly. "And you've been turned into a young woman, no less..."

"How...How the hell am I going to hide this from my subordinates?" Toushiro asked feebly, his expression helpless. Ukitake raised an eyebrow.

"So you let the gag order stand?" he asked curiously, and Hitsugaya nodded, threading his hands through his white hair.

"For now." he said. "It's going to end up explaining a lot of my behavior to my subordinates when I reveal what happened later on..."

Ukitake raised and eyebrow at the comment, and Toushiro shot a glare of askance in Matsumoto's direction. She huffed, sitting back on her heels.

"Taicho, I told you already, I won't spill the beans without your permission!" she said indignantly. Hitsugaya raised a thin white eyebrow.

"What about Inoue, Kuchiki, Yasutora and Kurosaki?" Toushiro sniped back. "You told them pretty easily."

"I didn't mention your name - Hinamori-chan did." Matsumoto sniffed. "Besides, they were all more than willing to help you out!"

"I know, I know..." Toushiro said, exasperatedly, then glanced up at Ukitake who was still staring at him curiously, obviously puzzled by Hitsugaya's need to 'explain his behavior.' The older captain tipped his head to the side, blinking owlishly.

"Hitsugaya-kun, why would you need to explain your behavior?" he asked, befuddled, his kind face screwed up in childlike confusion. Toushiro looked past him at the cream wall and the tall mahogany wardrobe, biting his lower lip. This would be his first time actually telling someone else of his status, and while he knew that he could trust Ukitake...he wasn't sure how the usually-conservative man would take the news. Ukitake had never weighed in on the gender/sexual minority debate, but he had shown surprising vigor when it came to more traditionally conservative ideals, especially when it came to Seireitei's budget.

"Hitsugaya-kun?"

"I'm gender-questioning." Toushiro said without preamble. Ukitake jerked in shock. "I have been for the past twenty years and I might end up being transgender."

The older captain appeared to be at a complete loss for words for several minutes, and Toushiro kept his gaze fixed firmly on the ground, but finally the older man broke the silence.

"I...I see." he said quietly, staring. "I...I was not expecting that."

Toushiro looked up to see that Ukitake's expression was a curious mix of pity and kindhearted sympathy. The senior captain sighed deeply, his gaze saddening.

"I cannot say that I support this, you understand." the tall captain said quietly, and Hitsugaya felt the blow to his heart acutely, his entire body aching. Ukitake sighed, then smiled, the expression slight and uncertain but there all the same.

"However." he said gently. "While I cannot support your transition, neither will I condemn it. You were always a fine young man. If you choose to become a young woman, I'm sure you will be a credit to the female gender."

He laid a hand on his colleague's shoulder.

"I cannot support your transition." he said sadly. "But I will always support you. I hope that you understand the distinction. And I know that I've probably hurt you. I understand if you don't wish to speak with me after this. Just...just know that I will always be your friend, no matter who you choose to become."

Toushiro's jade gaze was slightly damp, and he nodded slowly, his expression wounded to the quick. He took a deep breath.

"...It's okay, Ukitake." he said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Everyone is entitled to their own views. I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree."

The sickly captain's white hair swung gently as the older shinigami dipped his head.

"I want you to know that I will respect your wishes if you change your name or begin referring to yourself as a female." he said softly. "If you choose to become a 'she' I will not fight that. It is your right. But..."

Toushiro looked up.

"I know." he murmured. "You don't agree with it. And you're right...that does hurt. It hurts a lot. But I think I can forgive you for it, Ukitake. After all...while you might not be supportive, you're accepting at the very least, and I have a feeling that many will not be even as kind as you are."

The older captain breathed a sigh of relief, then cracked a smile.

"Shunsui will love it." he said, smiling. "You should let him know about this, if you choose to tell anyone besides me and Matsumoto-san. He was gender-questioning once upon a time as well. He decided to remain male fairly quickly, but ever since he's liked wearing those pink kimonos over his uniform. This news will make him so happy."

Toushiro laughed a little bit, then wiped at his watering eyes.

"Is there anyone who will be directly opposed to me?" he asked shakily. Ukitake's smile fell.

"Yes, unfortunately." he sighed. "The Vizard-captains won't care, but it's almost a certainty that Sasakibe-fukutaicho will take personal offense, as may Omaeda-fukutaicho and Iba-fukutaicho. Yamamoto-soutaicho may also be initially opposed to it, but he has an extremely distinct soft spot for you. I believe having a granddaughter may be even more appealing to him than having a grandson is."

Toushiro's head shot up, and he stared. Ukitake laughed.

"Oh, haven't you noticed?" he asked, smiling broadly. "Yamamoto-soutaicho tries very hard not to show it, but when he's with Shunsui, Retsu and I, he dotes on you. Every conversation we have he ends up bringing you into. In fact, he and Retsu may already suspect. I know that Shunsui and I were wondering about your gender preferences for a little bit. Heaven knows that you possessing Hyourinmaru didn't help - that dragon has had almost exclusively female wielders in the past."

Matsumoto giggled brightly behind her hand. She'd been fairly nervous over Ukitake's reaction to her captain's uncertainty, but it seemed that while the disagreement had been painful, the two Shiro-chans would retain a strong friendship. Thank goodness.

"No wonder he agreed so easily when I asked for Taicho to have permission to spend some of his free time in Karakura Town!" the lieutenant laughed. Toushiro went a pretty shade of pink and crossed his arms over his burgeoning chest, scowling. Ukitake laughed and stood up, pulling Matsumoto and then Toushiro up with him.

"Drop by my office later this week, won't you, Hitsugaya-kun?" he asked with a smile. "We'll have tea and spend a few hours out by the pond. The koi are growing magnificently large!"

Toushiro smiled genuinely, his earlier upset seeming to dim somewhat as he realized that the difference in opinion concerning his gender-identity would not break the friendship that he and the older Shiro-chan shared.

"That sounds wonderful." he said. "Hinamori and I are baking on Thursday, so would Friday work? I'll bring you some of whatever we decide to bake."

Ukitake clapped his hands together.

"Perfect!" he cheered. "Oh, I just _knew_ you had a sweet tooth!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly. He hadn't meant to admit that.

"Just dark chocolate, really." he said hurriedly, not wanting the overly kind Ukitake to shovel truckloads of candies on him again. "It's my one weakness, and _only_ in small amounts."

Ukitake smiled broadly.

"Then I'll have to be sure I have some on hand when you come over!" he said, smiling, and drifted out the door.

"Wait, Ukitake, not too many, otherwise-"

"See you later, Hitsugaya-kun!"

Toushiro watched the man Shunpo away from his front door with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He buried his face in his hands and glared at Matsumoto, who was still laughing.

"He's probably going to buy out an entire chocolate store!" Matsumoto giggled uncontrollably. Toushiro groaned.

"I _know_ , dammit."

* * *

 **So how was Ukitake's reaction? Leave your thoughts in the box below, please and thank you!**

 **Also, does anyone see the plot hints I'm dropping? ;)**


	6. (Take the) Fall for You

**A/N: Lots of plot in this chapter! Pay attention! And if you actually read the author's notes, put the word "bubble" at the end of your reviews! I wanna know if I should keep writing these...**

 _"Thoughts"_

 _"Zanpakutou talking"_

* * *

The rest of the week passed relatively uneventfully, much to Hitsugaya's surprise. He ended up attending one of Kuchiki-taicho's calligraphy classes and one of Unohana-taicho's ikebana tutorials, and had even managed to slip off to the Living World again to buy a pair of dark skinny-jeans. Then on Thursday, he and Hinamori baked enough chocolate-chip cookies to feed an army, then spent the remainder of the evening eating them alongside Matsumoto as she gave the siblings makeup tutorials. Toushiro had been very confused by the concept of foundation at first - he hadn't realized that the stuff was supposed to be spread over his entire face. But he'd learned quickly, and very soon Matsumoto and Hinamori both learned that he had a spectacular eye for lipstick choices.

They'd washed the stuff off their faces before going home, and Hinamori had taken a box of the cookies home, as had Matsumoto. Toushiro caught the seniormost of his Fifth Seats, who happened to be walking by as the pair of girls were leaving, giving the three a funny look, but all it took was one cool glance from his captain before he was on his way again.

After that, however, Hitsugaya knew the rumor mill would start up.

He sighed, stretching, then rolled out of bed. Saturday mornings were lazy mornings, he thought cynically. He didn't work weekends unless it was an emergency, like most of the shinigami in Seireitei, and there hadn't been a significant emergency since Aizen had been thrown in prison.

It was nice having a few days to himself, Toushiro thought with a smile, padding into his kitchen in his sleeping yukata, the cold tile pleasantly cool on his bare feet. He made himself a warm cup of his favorite tea, then headed into his living room, curling up on the couch with his feet tucked underneath him. He watched the sun rise behind Sokyoku Hill with a distinct draconic contentment, sipping on the tea in his hands, and once the sun had broken the horizon and his cup was empty, he got up off his comfortable couch and returned to his bedroom to change into his clothes.

He came out with his Zanpakutou purring on his back, the darkness of his black workout-gear broken by the bright gold chain tying Hyourinmaru's sheath to his back. He usually trained on Saturday mornings, and today would be no different, save for one thing. The young captain shifted uncomfortably, the tight wrapping around his chest restricting his breathing somewhat. He'd gone to see Unohana earlier that week, almost immediately upon noticing the swelling of his chest. The Fourth Division captain had frowned, ran a test or two upon his hormone levels, and came back thirty minutes later to inform him that he was undergoing an accelerated version of puberty, and that he'd likely be fully developed within six months.

Toushiro remembered the conversation with no little apprehension. Apparently he'd been early to hit puberty even for a boy, and when he'd been turned into a girl that early-bloomer genome had remained intact. Thus, the accelerated puberty. His body was trying to catch up.

Unohana had kindly showed him how to wrap his quickly-growing chest, as most young female shinigami did during their pubescent years, and then explained to him how and why women also had to wear bras. It had been a slightly uncomfortable conversation, but thankfully everything had been entirely professional and he hadn't blushed too badly.

Hyourinmaru hummed in his mind.

" _You are enjoying this, hatchling."_ he observed in his endlessly patient, gentle way. Despite being terrifying in appearance, vicious in rumor, deadly in theory, and massive beyond rational thought, Hyourinmaru was extremely benevolent, and Toushiro could barely remember a time when he'd feared the dragon Zanpakutou.

Toushiro left his house in a puff of Shunpo, his mind focused on the thrumming contact with his Zanpakutou spirit.

" _Of course."_ he replied, a smirk flickering over his face like cool flame. " _Being myself isn't something I can do often."_

" _Not just that, hatchling."_ the dragon reminded him gently.  " _You're enjoying the experience and support that others are showing you. Even Ukitake-taicho's acceptance, while painful on the surface, made you inwardly glow."_

" _It's a nice departure from the judging atmosphere that's surrounded me almost my entire life. Odd considering the topic, but still..."_ Toushiro thought back, landing lightly on the top of the shoulder-high stone wall that surrounded the Tenth Division's training grounds. The field was mostly empty today - only a few of his men were present, and they seemed to be focused on the Kido range. Everyone knew better than to get in their captain's way when he wanted to train.

" _...You are discovering who you are, little one."_ Hyourinmaru told him gently, the dragon stretching his great wings within his master's inner world.  " _And you are beginning to understand yourself more thoroughly."_

" _...This will affect my Bankai, won't it?"_ Toushiro asked, understanding implicitly what his Zanpakutou was trying to tell him. Hyourinmaru's hum of approval resounded in the icy blizzard inside his master's frozen soul.

" _And your Shikai."_ the dragon informed him gently.  " _Your power - and by extension, my power - is deeply tied to your knowledge of your true self."_

Toushiro frowned, drawing the long blade with a flick of his wrist, and glanced critically at the long silver shaft.

" _I have heard of no other Zanpakutou who demands a similar effort from their wielder."_ Toushiro thought, remembering what Yoruichi had said about Hyourinmaru's previous appearance. " _Does this have something to do with dragon-Zanpakutou being primarily wielded by women?"_

Hyourinmaru's answering purr was slightly ominous.

" _...Yes and no."_ he answered quietly, ice flaking from the icy blade's hilt and creeping over his master's hands.  " _The dragon is the mark of the King - this you already know. As such, dragon-Zanpakutou are generally several times more powerful than normal Zanpakutou. Yamamoto-soutaicho is the perfect example of this. However, a male wielding a dragon-Zanpakutou will always be weaker than a female wielding the same spirit, and because of this dragons are usually found reincarnated alongside female versions of their shinigami."_

" _Why are males and females unequal?"_ Toushiro thought, baffled. He'd entered into a series of kata while he and Hyourinmaru spoke, and so was able to fully concentrate on the conversation. Hyourinmaru's gleaming length cut sharply through the misting air.

" _Unequal is not the proper term, hatchling."_ Hyourinmaru scolded him gently.  " _No; it is rather an imbalance. Think of it this way - if a female wielded a phoenix-Zanpakutou, she would be weaker than a male with the same Zanpakutou spirit. It is because the soul must have a balance. The phoenix, which represents the Queen, is a feminine spirit, and thus requires a male shinigami for balance. Dragons are the opposite."_

" _I've never heard of a phoenix-Zanpakutou before...and come to think of it, I can't remember a single female shinigami possessing a dragon Zanpakutou before me..."_ Toushiro said frowning. Hyourinmaru sighed.

" _Both dragons and phoenixes are exceedingly rare, but the only reason that you know of two dragon-Zanpakutou - myself included - are because the wielders were born male. And you have known OF one phoenix-Zanpakutou, though I believe the spirit herself was permanently sealed."_ Hyourinmaru said. Suddenly his tone changed to one of warning, a careful note of concern entering his usual growl.  " _Hatchling, I must ask that after you choose to embrace the female sex, keep your mouth shut about it until you have mastered your completed Bankai."_

" _What? Why?"_ Toushiro thought, silently releasing the first, weaker half of his Shikai. The chain and attached moon-blade spun out from Hyourinmaru's hilt, and he seized the chain, swirling the moon-blade about himself several times in a series of complicated practice movements.

" _As Yoruichi-san told you...all of your previous reincarnations were female."_ the dragon said grimly.  " _And of the dragon-Zanpakutou, I am the most powerful. There are those within Seireitei who greatly covet the dragons' true power, and they will do anything to gain it. This includes kidnapping and forced marriages. None of your previous reincarnations managed to achieve Shikai before being captured. However...of all those who covet the dragons, the Royal Family will be your most dangerous adversary. Long ago, the dragon-Zanpakutou and phoenix-Zanpakutou were reincarnated alongside their family members, but when they fell into corruption, we abandoned them and moved elsewhere in an attempt to give rise to a new royal line. But ever since, they have been trying to breed the dragons' power back into their bloodline. All of your previous reincarnations - a few willingly, most by force - bore the children of the Soul Princes. And on top of this, their Zanpakutou spirits were forcibly sealed, drastically crippling their power."_

Toushiro didn't notice that he'd stopped moving, or that his breath was puffing out in tiny clouds. He could only gape helplessly at his blade.

" _Holy shit..."_ he gasped. " _...you mean...when I come out as transgender..."_

" _They will be extremely likely to attempt to marry you, yes, and if you resist, they will indeed attempt rape. And if they succeed, you and I will be separated. That is why I wish for you to be able to hold your own. No master of mine will ever again be taken or forced by that corrupt bloodline!"_ Hyourinmaru snarled. Then the dragon calmed, though his anger was still noticeable.  " _...Although stressing that you are transgender may help them think twice."_

Toushiro shifted his hands to grip the chain and released his grip on the hilt of his blade. He'd been practicing this style of fighting recently, and as he glared at one of the targets on the far side of the field he snapped his right hand forward. His blade went flying forward and with a sickening thud buried itself up to the hilt in the faraway wooden spot. He grinned darkly, then jerked his hand back, pulling Hyourinmaru effortlessly back into his hand.

" _You won't have to worry about me."_ Toushiro reassured his dragon with a malicious smirk. " _If anyone so much as_ looks _at me wrong without permission, I'll run them through just like that tree stump I just skewered."_

Hyourinmaru rumbled pleasantly, satisfied by his master's promise, and then allowed his power to swell through Toushiro's young mind as the young captain drew on his reiatsu.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" he called, and brought his blade crashing through the reiatsu-thickened atmosphere. Ice and water flowed from the length of his blade, and he leapt into the air, landing lightly upon Hyourinmaru's icy back, reiatsu flaring, fully intent upon (once again) destroying the training grounds. But then he froze. He felt ice creeping up his back, through his white hair, and down his spinal column. A tail - a dragon's tail - made of ice now snaked from the base of his spine, and a hard sheen of clear, crystalline ice had solidifed over his torso, protecting his vital organs. And when he reached up and gently touched his head, he felt three delicate spires of silvered ice protruding in fine filigree patterns from his frost-tipped white hair, slowly melding together into...

" _Hyourinmaru...is that a_ crown _?!"_

" _You are royalty by the value of your soul, ice princess. And together with me, you will reign over the frosted heavens."_

" _Oh my god, you did_ not _just call me that..."_

Hyourinmaru's laughter was good-natured, and so Toushiro swung his sword down with a sweet, terrifyingly vicious smile, sending the massive dragon furrowing through the earth with indigo ice-flowers sprouting every place the beast's breath touched. He could feel the soothing thrum of his power sweeping over him like an avalanche, fatally cold, and as he allowed Hyourinmaru's icy Shikai form to soar into the gathering storm he saw that every place Hyourinmaru's serpentine body had touched was covered in snow and ice, the indigo flowers blooming beautifully cold on his myriad targets.

And Hyourinmaru's ice body still hadn't shattered.

He sucked in a breath of frozen air and slowly allowed his Shikai to evaporate. The single attack had been much stronger than any of his previous Shikai releases, and he could feel his own reiatsu cloaked densely about him, thicker and colder than it had ever been before. Lightning cracked in the sky above him, and he looked up, saw the brewing blizzard there and raised an eyebrow.

" _I've never been in tune with the weather to such an extent. Nor has my Shikai provided me with any defensive capabilities before this."_ he commented lightly to his Zanpakutou, closing his eyes, and gently leeched his reiatsu from the clouds over head, turning the furiously building storm into a scattered array of grey rainclouds - harmless and refreshing.

" _As I said, you are beginning to understand yourself."_ Hyourinmaru replied gently.  " _And that makes a world of difference."_

* * *

"Hitsugaya-taicho! Hitsugaya-taicho!"

Startled by the sudden call, the young ice-captain looked up from his frozen-solid bottle of water, which he had been attempting to thaw out for the past minute and a half (it was still kind of slushy). He was breathing somewhat heavily, as he'd been training non-stop for the past three hours, but as his Third Seat ran up to him, gasping for breath and panicking, he felt a wave of utter calm wash over him.

"What's wrong, Takahashi?" he asked, sighing deeply and running his fingers through his sweat-slicked hair. He felt sticky and disgusting, but considering the expression of sheer panic on his Third Seat's usually-stoic face he didn't think he'd have time to shower first.

"...Hollows...in District 44." she panted out. "Just got the Hell Butterfly...the patrol is overrun!"

Toushiro shot to his feet and took hold of his Third Seat's arm, urgent distress clearly visible in those green depths.

"Get a message to Matsumoto." he said. "Tell her I've gone to take care of the Hollows, and that she is to follow me with a trauma team and at least one other seated officer's squad for backup. And you might want to let her know that I'm not in uniform."

Takahashi bowed deeply as her captain Shunpoed away.

"Yes sir!"

He barely heard her, the wind roaring in his ears as he shot through Seireitei towards his overrun men. The stirrings of anger, protective and fierce, were beginning the familiar curl through his chest, and he could feel the dragon coiled in his soul rumbling in thunderous fury.

He shot through the gates with an effortless bound, the black of his workout gear stark against the white of the sekkiseki wall behind him. Hyourinmaru, unsheathed in his slender hands, gleamed brightly. He could feel his heart pumping beneath his skin, feel his blood cooling slowly, turning to sluggish red ice in his veins. He was stretching himself, that much he could tell just by the quickening beat of his heart and the slight buzz of fatigue in his limbs, but he pushed onward, intent only on getting to his men.

"Toushiro!"

Ichigo's shout of surprise - _why was he in Rukongai?_ \- rang in his ears, but even though he felt his cheeks warm at the thought of Ichigo's ginger hair, soulful, warm-brown eyes, and strong, chiseled features he kept going. Behind him, Ichigo's Hollow-rimmed wildness spun around in distress, then gave chase.

Toushiro ignored him, bursting into District 44 with his breath puffing cold from his lips. He looked around wildly, the stench of Hollow thick about the place, then let out a wordless howl of wretched fury upon seeing the limp bodies of half-eaten civilians strewn about the central square. He could hear the screams of his men, some softened by death's approach, and with a second agonized cry he tore into the throng of Hollows circling his wearied men and the shivering huddle of civilians gathered behind them.

Seven beasts fell to Hyourinmaru's icy bite before the mindless creatures turned, and he snarled viciously. These were _his_ subordinates! He'd be damned before he let them be killed!

The Hollows howled and charged him, abandoning their prey for the denser, thicker reiryoku of the young captain, and Toushiro dodged the myriad claws and fangs with ease, slicing and dicing any offending Hollow that came too close. He swept out his moon-blade and chain effortlessly, throwing his sword like a javelin without a second thought and spearing three Hollows through their masks, the screeches of pain echoing his ears. With a sharp tug on the chain he pulled his blade back into his hands and swung, cleaving through another Hollow that had attacked him from behind

He finished off several more of the Hollows, decimating their numbers, and soon the remaining ten Hollows fled into the forest bordering District 44. Then, and only then, did he turn to his men, breathing hard, his chest heaving. He couldn't deny being tired, but the Hollows were a nice distraction from the slog of training.

The least injured of his men approached him and bowed shallowly, the bleeding gash in his thigh hindering his movement.

"Hitsugaya-taicho..." he choked out. "We have five wounded and three dead... The civilian who took shelter behind us are fine, however I don't know how many survivors there are elsewhere..."

Toushiro nodded, feeling the flare of his lieutenant's reiatsu meet up with Ichigo's blazing, uncontrolled power about ten minutes away, and then head towards him at the same concerned rate.

"Matsumoto is on her way with backup and a medical team." he said. "And it seems that Kurosaki has decided to poke his nose into this mess as well. You did what you could - now see to your friends."

The man limped painfully away, and Toushiro turned just in time to see Kurosaki burst from the trees, Matsumoto just behind him. He smiled faintly at the handsome carrot-top, and for some reason he saw Matsumoto's eyes gleam as she saw the expression on his face.

But then he saw the Adjuchas, somehow hiding its reiatsu, sailing towards Ichigo from behind, and all the color left his face. Matsumoto's yell of warning echoed hollowly in his ears, because Ichigo was turning too slowly, and the Adjuchas had its long, spearlike tail extended, out to pierce the substitute through, the pointed tip mere feet from the half-shinigami's back.

" _Ichigo_!"

The scream reverberated from the young captain's lips and he jumped, eyes wide in something that could only be described as terror. Kurosaki stared at him helplessly, his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutou, but he wouldn't be quick enough to draw, the barbed spear only inches away from the orange-headed teen's face...

But then it stopped.

Matsumoto's shriek of despair was agonizing. Toushiro took a shallow breath, gasping weakly and howled.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

The massive dragon of ice and water exploded from his Zanpakutou, and he felt the still-unfamiliar tail, chestplate, and crown of ice creep over his skin. He snarled, and with a crash of snow and ice and the chilling bite of winter, the dragon's icy jaws tore the Adjuchas completely in two, an effortless deathblow.

Indigo blossoms swept across the ground, and bloomed gently beneath his feet, a winter glacier of thin ice and frost spreading around them in a mile radius, but then his reiryoku started draining away and his Shikai faded. He felt cold, and as the spear-tail in his right lung disintegrated he felt his legs give way beneath him.

Ichigo caught him before his limp form hit the ground, cradling him close, and Toushiro stared up at the ginger boy, his head lolling against the warm chest beneath. He felt numb, the puncture just beneath his developing chest sending icy cold waves through his body. He choked, coughing blood.

"Ichigo...?" he choked out, each breath he took painfully difficult. The ginger quickly lifted his slight body, murmuring horrified coos probably meant to soothe him, and carried him over to a terrified Matsumoto and the six Fourth-Division members that had accompanied the squadron of his men. He gasped in pain as he was laid down, a white sheet spread out underneath his injured frame.

"Ichi...go..." Toushiro whispered again, reaching faintly for the sunshiny hair and warm chocolate eyes fixed in his vision, seeming to glow. The world was starting to blur into a haze - he was losing blood, and something told him that Ichigo would be feeling guilty, but he didn't know why. As the medical shinigami drew close and the sky started to fade to grey, he felt warm fingers wrap around his own and heard a soft voice, thick with guilt and grief, calling his name.

* * *

 **HAHAHAHA, I'm such an evil bastard. :)**

 **Review, if you please!**


	7. Guilt Trip

**A/N: Ichigo's POV here** **. Also, if anyone wants to beta for me...?**

* * *

Ichigo stared horror at the small body standing in front of him, protecting him. Toushiro's slender chest had been pierced through by the Adjuchas's tail, and his blood was slick on the sharp white bone-spire, but his reiatsu was still a blizzard around him, colder than Ichigo had ever felt it before and thrice as dense. With a shiver, the teenager remembered the density of Aizen's power, compared the two, and found them terrifyingly similar. If anything, Toushiro felt stronger.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

Ice materialized out of nowhere, the familiar ice-drake howling glacial fury from Hyourinmaru's keen tip, but the overwhelming density of the reiatsu overflowed, and solid ice crackled down the ice-captain's back, forming a whip-like tail and protective chestplate, a tiara made of sparkling frozen water forming delicately on top of the young shinigami's head. But then the dragon of water and ice, bigger and colder than Ichigo remembered, tore through the Adjuchas, breathing frozen, indigo lotus-flowers of arctic beauty, and with a screech of agony the Menos disintegrated, the plain of ice and frost expanding softly around them.

Hitsugaya had taken down an Adjuchas-class hollow in _one_ hit. With his _Shikai_. After he'd just been  gored. Since when had the young crossdresser been that strong?

But Kurosaki's awe was short-lived; as the Hollow disappeared Toushiro's knees buckled beneath his body and he fell. Leaping forward, Ichigo caught him with a soundless cry, his hands trembling. Wide green eyes, glazed by shock, fixated on him, the healthy golden color draining out of the teenaged captain's cheeks at an alarming rate, and the injured adolescent coughed thinly, blood burbling from his mouth. In shock, horrified by Toushiro's injury and his own weakness, the hybrid shinigami clutched the petite body to his chest. Hitsugaya's thick red blood dampened his shihakusho.

"Ichigo...?" Toushiro murmured his voice gasping and weak, the thick droplets of red bleeding from his lips, and suddenly Ichigo realized that the boy couldn't breathe. With panic rising in his chest inexplicably, he cradled the young captain more securely in his arms and ran him over to a sobbing, red-eyed Matsumoto.

"Shhh...Shhh, Toushiro, don't talk, okay? You're gonna be alright..." he murmured to the paling captain, skidding to a frantic stop next to the equally-frantic healers. As gently as he could, he laid the injured boy down on the white plastic sheet that the healers had rolled out, but a faint wheeze of pain still left Toushiro's bloodstained lips, and as Ichigo drew back a pace to let the healers work, the young crossdresser called his name again.

"Ichi...go..." he mumbled, his hand trembling towards the substitute's stricken face, and Ichigo froze, guilt eating at his heart but tearing worry causing it to beat faster, and after a moment Matsumoto urged him forward with a soft whimper. Ichigo knelt by the white-haired captain's left side, taking the small, cold hand gently in his own, and for half a moment he saw the flicker of recognition enter the colorless face.

"Toushiro?" he asked, his voice quivering guiltily, but the green gaze stared sightlessly through him, and he knew then that Hitsugaya couldn't hear him anymore. "Toushiro!"

"Please stay calm, Kurosaki-san." one of the doctors said gravely, looking up from where her hands were pressed over the bleeding puncture, her hands radiating healing kido. "Panicking will do us no good in this situation."

Ichigo couldn't help the tightening of his heart in his chest, his pulse thudding in his mouth, and he gripped the small hand in his as tightly as he could without hurting the unconscious boy. All he could think about was that sweet pink blush that he'd seen so briefly on the captain's face, and the soft, almost hidden smile that had graced Toushiro's lips after he'd heard Ichigo's compliments. He'd been so gorgeous wearing a dress - and now he was bleeding out, unable to breathe properly, all because Ichigo hadn't sensed a Hollow.

"Oh gods..." the teenager covered his face with his free hand, the other still wrapped around the ice-captain's slender fingers, and suddenly he heard the Fourth Division shinigami arguing among themselves.

"I can't carry him - let alone make it to the Fourth in a decent amount of time. You'll have to transport him there."

"You're faster than I am!"

"But I can't lift him!"

Ichigo looked up.

"What's the maximum speed he can tolerate right now?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion. The healers stared at him.

"Shunpo doesn't usually aggravate injuries." the senior of the two replied. "We've performed emergency treatment, but that will only hold him for a little while. He needs to get to the Fourth."

Ichigo let go of Toushiro's hand and stood, facing the teary Matsumoto, his resolve set.

"Rangiku-san, I can take him." he said, tapping the top of his forehead with two fingers. The Lieutenant nodded shakily from where she was trying to reassure her men.

"Go, Ichigo." she said, and with that, the hybrid ripped his Hollow mask over his face and swept the injured Toushiro into his arms, ignoring the gaping terror of the Fourth Division shinigami. Then he took off like a bullet. Toushiro stayed silent in his grasp as he raced across the Soul Society, the shallow breathing irregular and pained. It took two long minutes for Ichigo to reach the Fourth Division - two minutes too long, in his opinion - and with a Hollow's distorted, echoing voice, he landed in front of the treatment center, half out of his mind with worry.

The shinigami scattered around screeched in terror, fleeing madly at the sight of the Hollow mask, but then Isane was running up to him, her gaze frightened.

"Kurosaki-san?" the lieutenant asked, and with a blink Ichigo let his mask dissolve, revealing the redness of his eyes and the emotional agony on his face.

"Help..." he whispered, and Isane's gaze shifted to the bloody ice-wielder dangling limply in the hybrid's secure grasp. Suddenly she turned professional.

"Call Unohana-taicho!" she ordered, her voice strong. "Tell her that Hitsugaya-taicho requires emergency operations in Operating Theatre Two and that I will need her assistance immediately!"

Two of the nearby unseated men bowed deeply, but Isane had already pulled Ichigo and his unconscious burden away, leading them towards the emergency treatment rooms in near-Shunpo speeds. Quickly, the two burst into an empty room, and as Isane was hurriedly decontaminating in some kido germ-killer, she directed Ichigo to set the captain on the clean white table in the center of the room.

Gently, the human-shinigami-Hollow hybrid obeyed, trying as hard as he could to keep from dissolving into tears. Toushiro lay pale and still on the white table, the blood dripping from his nose and lips slowly, the hasty plastic wrapping around his punctured lung slowly growing saturated. Isane came over then, a white smock on over her shihakusho, and placed her hands over the bloody spot on Toushiro's chest.

"Kurosaki-san, I'm sorry, but you have to leave." she ordered, and Ichigo dragged himself from the room as Unohana, her face twisted by worry, ran inside, pulling another of the healing shinigami with her.

As the door swung shut behind him, Ichigo felt his heart sink in his chest, and he covered his face with his hands, muffling his sobs with his palms. He and the young captain had become friends during the Aizen incident, and the orange-headed substitute was feeling incredibly guilty for the pain he'd just put his friend through. If only he could sense reiatsu better...

He felt Hanatarou guide him to a shower, where he was allowed to wash Hitsugaya's cooling red blood from his skin, and then was given a clean shihakusho and showed to the waiting room, where he curled up in a chair and sat in silence.

At some point, a harried Matsumoto rushed in, her blonde hair tangled, her bearing in utter disarray. A baffled Renji was trailing her, as was an equally puzzled Rukia and her stoic but concerned older brother. For a moment, Matsumoto looked around wildly, tears in her blue eyes, and Renji finally managed to set his hand on her shoulder.

"Rangiku-san, what-"

"Ichigo!" she cried out, ignoring her fellow colleague in favor of running to the substitute's side. Ichigo uncurled himself, revealing red-rimmed eyes to the stricken lieutenant. Behind her, he glimpsed Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya staring at the tear tracks on his face, but the only person he could concentrate on was the distraught woman in front of him.

Suddenly the guilt struck him all over again, and his brave front collapsed. The substitute began sobbing again, his shoulders shaking violently. Toushiro could be dying and it was his fault. It was his fault that the boy had jumped, that the beautiful ice-wielder had fallen, the strong young man had been lying, bleeding and wounded, in his arms.

All because of an Adjuchas.

"Oh gods, Rangiku-san..." he sobbed. "Oh g-gods, I'm s-so sorry...Th-this is all m-my f-fault."

Matsumoto sat down next to him, choking on her tears.

"N-no, it's not." she whimpered miserably. "S-some upper-class Hollows can hide their reiatsu. Ai-aizen gave them that ability-"

"I defeated that shitty bastard!" Ichigo yelled, fisting his hands in his hair. The nearby members of the Fourth Division turned away quickly, gradually backing up as the substitute's reiatsu spiked up. Since he'd used Mugetsu, his reiatsu had been tinged with dark fire, and it made many nervous. "I ground that piece of shit into the dirt - his stupid experiments shouldn't...sh-shouldn't..."

He curled back in on himself.

"I c-could have turned around f-faster!" he choked out. "Z-zangetsu sh-should've been I-in my hands - I w-was going into a H-hollow-infested z-zone. B-but instead I w-was off g-guard and..."

He burst into a freshly strangled round of sobs, and Matsumoto shook her head again.

"He...he wanted to save you, Ichigo." she whispered weakly. "He didn't...didn't want you hurt. Don't b-belittle that choice."

"There shouldn't have been a choice!" the distraught teenager said fiercely. "He...he sh-shouldn't have had to choose..."

For a long minute there was silence, and then Byakuya stepped forward, his slate-grey gaze distinctly concerned. Never had Ichigo ever been so upset, even when Rukia had been injured. The substitute had never broken down like this before.

"Matsumoto-fukutaicho. Kurosaki Ichigo. What happened?" he asked calmly, raising an eyebrow in askance. Ichigo lifted his head, self-loathing so clear in his expression that Renji and Rukia gaped.

"There was an Adjuchas." he said thickly. "I didn't sense it, but apparently it was hiding its reiatsu. It attacked me from my blind spot - stupid thing was going to stab me with its tail."

Renji scowled, the tattoos on his brow wrinkling.

"Is that all you're upset about?" he asked in his gruff way. "Everyone gets blindsided every once in a while. Even the captains get caught off guard on rare occasion, and you have less battle experience than them by a long shot."

Suddenly Rukia gasped, putting the pieces together in her head. She looked from Matsumoto to Ichigo and back again, her violet eyes going wide. She was well aware of Ichigo's developing crush on the ice-captain, even if he wasn't fully conscious of that yet. For him to be this upset...

"...oh my gods." she whispered, and Renji and Byakuya turned to look at her in surprise.

"What is it, Rukia?" Renji asked, baffled. Rukia swallowed hard, tears pricking in her eyes, ignoring her childhood friend.

"Ichigo." she said, her voice thick. "How bad was it?"

The ginger shinigami put his head on his knees.

"...Stabbed through the lung." he hissed through a clenched jaw. "...he kept c-calling my name, Rukia, like he was tr-trying to make sure that _**I**_ w-was okay despite the fact that _**he**_ was the one bl-bleeding everywhere..."

The substitute ran his fingers through his hair again, pulling on fistfuls of the orange-locks, and Rukia swallowed again, her hands trembling.

"He'll be okay." he tried to reassure him, her voice quivering uncertainly. "He...he survived the Winter War."

Ichigo appeared to calm somewhat, as did the unusually quiet Matsumoto. The blonde lieutenant spoke up then.

"Ichigo, it wasn't your fault." she said, her voice a little stronger, and as the teenager looked up to argue, her eyes hardened. "Ichigo, don't you even _try_ to argue with me right now - you're not the one who's taken a vow to protect him. I failed in more than one way today."

Renji's eyes rounded out in understanding, and Byakuya raised an eyebrow, not expecting the sudden turn of events. Every Lieutenant upon first meeting their captain swore a position-unique oath of loyalty, in which was included the phrase " _upon my honor as a shinigami, I will lay down my life in your stead and take every blow meant for your back."_

"...Hitsugaya-taicho was injured." the tall, solemn Kuchiki stated gravely, and Ichigo nodded once, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"...the little idiot jumped in front of me." he said quietly. "The Adjuchas was aiming for me. Toushiro took the hit instead."

Rukia tentatively stepped forward and sat on Ichigo's other side, wrapping her arms around him. She didn't say anything after that, but eventually the orange-haired boy leaned into her embrace, his misery and guilt palpable.

"...thanks, midget." he whispered hoarsely. Rukia nodded wordlessly, ignoring the slight on her height for the moment. It wasn't the time to retaliate, though she would definitely do so later.

Renji and his captain stood there awkwardly for a long minute, and then Renji sat down next to Matsumoto and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Byakuya turned to stare intensely at the closed hallway which led to the operating rooms, his expression thoroughly displeased.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho will wish to be notified." he said after a moment. "I will inform him."

He disappeared before anyone could say anything, but nobody missed the unsteady flicker of softening concern in his deadly pink reiatsu. Even Kuchiki-taicho had his moments, and apparently seeing his younger sister and former adversary so distraught had moved him somewhat. Hitsugaya's condition would not have stirred such a reaction - it wasn't the first time that the youngest captain had done something rash - but the combination of the obvious distress and the thought of Toushiro's injury obviously affected the stoic captain more than he liked anyone else to see.

Ichigo buried his face in Rukia's shoulder, and she rubbed circles into his back, trying to calm him. She'd never seen him so upset before. She closed her violet eyes. If Hitsugaya-taicho didn't recover - and quickly - then she didn't know how Ichigo would take it. The last time someone close to him had been hurt - her actually, though she was still grumpy that he felt so personally responsible for it - he'd gone off and completed extremely dangerous training to control his inner Hollow. If this crush of his was anything like his friendship with her...well, she didn't want to know how far he'd try to push himself.

She let out a soft sigh, the soft chair beneath her squeaking quietly.

It would be a long, painful wait.

* * *

 **How was Ichigo's reaction? Leave your thoughts in the box! (Fluffy stuff soon, I promise!)**


	8. Gently Does It

**A/N: IchiHitsu fluff galore! Enjoy! ;D**

 **Also, if ANYONE wants to beta?**

 _"Zanpakutou."_

 _"Thinking."_

* * *

" _Hatchling, have you woken?"_

" _...No, go away."_

" _Come now, little one. You have visitors who are quite anxious to see you wake."_

" _...I don't want to."_

" _...Yamamoto-soutaicho is waiting for you, hatchling. As are Matsumoto Rangiku, Kuchiki Rukia, Kurosaki Ichigo, and Hinamori Momo, not to mention several of the other captains."_

" _...Goddammit, what did I do to myself this time?"_

Slowly, with Hyourinmaru's help, Hitsugaya dragged his mind from the deep cushion of darkness, struggling back towards consciousness as if swimming up from the deeps of the ocean. He felt disconnected from his body, but as he swam closer to the surface feeling started to rush back into his limbs and he flinched distinctly as the unmistakable sensation of pain shot across his chest like lightning. But he kept going, and slowly towed himself back to consciousness.

His limbs felt heavy. It was the first thing he noticed upon resurfacing from the dark folds of unconsciousness. He felt tired and sleepy, and twinges of distinct agony flared across his chest at regular intervals, though he could tell that the sharp edge of the pain had been sharply dulled by something. Breathing was a little more difficult than normal; he felt like he had to pull hard for each breath. Gradually, he realized that a stiff plastic mask had pressed firmly over his mouth and nose and that elastic straps attached to the mask had been fit around his head. Cool air puffed against his lips - an oxygen mask, he realized. And there was a stinging sensation in the underside of his left arm - he must have an intravenous line there.

So he was in the Fourth Division, then.

With a decent amount of effort, he peeled his eyelids away from his eyes. He blinked, his gaze blurred for a few minutes, then felt a gentle touch on the side of his face. Unohana's deep-blue eyes and dark hair materialized above him.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, it's good that you're awake." she said, smiling. He said nothing, but nodded weakly and took a deep breath.

"How...long...?" he panted, pain flaring along the right side as he spoke. He was starting to remember what had happened, and he hoped that Ichigo would still be present - he knew the idiot would be feeling awful for what had happened, given his annoying tendency to blame himself.

"It has been sixteen hours since you were brought in, Hitsugaya-taicho." she answered calmly. "Please refrain from speaking too loudly for now. You're still dangerously hypoxic, and your lung will take several weeks to fully heal."

The young captain nodded wordlessly, feeling his head spin at the movement, and slowly Unohana helped him to sit up, propped upright by pillows. He lay back against the soft rectangles of fluff, weak and lethargic. The oxygen mask on his face barely seemed to be helping - he didn't even want to know what breathing would be like without the highly-concentrated oxygen being supplied to him.

Then he looked down at his lap, and his eyes widened.

"What...is this?" he whispered, staring down at himself. Unohana raised an eyebrow.

"You have been binding your chest too tightly, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said, her voice disapproving. "You are growing into a young woman now, whether you like it or not, and you do need to let your breasts breathe somewhat, or they will not develop properly."

Toushiro looked up, hints of panic in his eyes.

"The point is...not to let...anyone see that...I'm a girl!" he hissed softly. Unohana sniffed, her expression extremely displeased.

"No, the point is to give yourself support, not to smother yourself." she rebuked gently. "I understand that this is strange for you, but I do not think you will be able to hide for much longer. If my estimation is correct, you may end up quite curvy."

The injured captain groaned weakly, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Are you...kidding me?" he murmured. Unohana shook her head.

"No, I'm not." she said. "My best guess is that you will be a petite, full-figured woman once puberty is over. I'd be surprised if you make it above five feet."

Toushiro tried his best not to let his irritation flare at the news that he'd be tiny for his entire life. It wasn't exactly news, however. Malnutrition from the Rukongai had stunted his growth - that much he'd known since first arriving at the Academy. However, the loose fabric of his soft, white hospital yukata brushing gently up over his growing, bare chest was unnerving. He'd grown used to the feeling of having some sort of second layer between his outer clothing and his skin, and though the thick bandaging around his wound did provide a meager amount of coverage, he still felt completely exposed. How did Matsumoto deal with revealing so much cleavage all the time?

"I can provide a camisole for you while you're here, if that would make you less uncomfortable." Unohana offered gently, watching her patient's expression carefully. "It's somewhat like a cross between a tank top and a bra."

Toushiro shifted slightly then nodded his confirmation, and Unohana smiled down at him. He averted his gaze, trying to hide his face despite the weakness of his body, but Unohana must have caught something.

"...Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Hitsugaya-kun?" she asked, her expression soft. Toushiro paused for a moment, gazed up at her, then raised a thin white eyebrow.

"Ukitake-taicho...thinks that you already...know what I...would say." he mumbled quietly, and Unohana's eyes went wide in shock. The October breeze murmured outside Hitsugaya's window, curling cool tendrils through the open window. For a long moment the wind was the only sound, and then Unohana swallowed her surprise.

"...Oh, dear child." she gasped softly. "...are you...?"

Toushiro nodded shakily, feeling the room swirl again.

"Gender-questioning." he said as quietly as he could. His brow furrowed in pain, but he said nothing. Unohana bowed her head for a moment, then lifted her gaze to his face.

"When you decide, come to me at once." she said quietly. "I will need to preside over the official record changes if you become officially female."

Toushiro nodded weakly, his head spinning.

"...thank you." he whispered, and Unohana shook her head, smiling once again.

"It's your decision alone, Hitsugaya-kun." she reminded him gently. "But when you choose, please at least make sure that you transition smoothly, if only to soothe those who will be against you. I fear you will face strong opposition."

Hitsugaya made a vapid gesture to the affirmative, sinking back into the pillows with his exhaustion clearly evident in the air about him. Unohana reached out and tapped two of her fingers to his jugular, searching for the steady beat of his heart. She stayed still for a moment, taking his pulse, then retreated a pace.

"Do you feel strong enough to see anyone, Hitsugaya-taicho?" the Fourth Division Captain asked kindly. Toushiro thought for a moment.

"Maybe for...a little while..." he murmured. "Make sure...that Kurosaki...comes in before I...fall asleep."

Unohana, who'd heard the entire story from a tearful Matsumoto, gave her consent to that quiet request, then stood up and swept serenely from her patient's hospital room. She ordered Isane - who was also under the gag order now, considering that she'd helped to operate on the ice-captain - to fetch one of her younger sister's camisoles and discreetly give it to Hitsugaya. Then the tall woman walked serenely towards the waiting room where Ichigo, Matsumoto, and several others had been waiting for Toushiro to wake since noon the previous day.

She stepped inside the darkened room to see that Ichigo and Matsumoto had fallen asleep in their chairs, as had Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji. Aside from them, however, the room's occupants were mostly awake, though bleary-eyed with worry. Of these, Yamamoto-soutaicho was the only one to stand upon her entrance. Ukitake, Kyoraku, and Kuchiki stayed seated.

"Unohana-taicho, how is he?" the soft question was Kyoraku's, his dark eyes saddened. The Fourth Division Captain let out a soft sigh, folding her arms inside the voluminous sleeves of her haori.

"Weak." she answered, her voice as gentle as she could make it. "He is still dangerously hypoxic, though we managed to bring his blood pressure back up to a safe level. He will require oxygen support for the next few weeks or so, as well as intravenous painkillers to dull the pain he feels every time he breathes."

Yamamoto raised a bushy eyebrow, the worry in his old gaze wrinkled by slow confidence.

"But he lives." he stated in his creaking voice, and Unohana nodded.

"As he always has, yes. He's quite stubborn. He woke up about twelve hours before I was expecting him to." she said, a sort of exasperated fondness in her voice. "He has requested to see Kurosaki-san before he falls asleep again, which I fear will happen very shortly. He is very tired."

The four captains sat silent, understanding their youngest colleague's reasoning for initially ignoring their presence in favor of the distraught substitute, and permitted Unohana to cross to the opposite side of the room and shake Ichigo awake. He'd fallen asleep some time ago, and none had the heart to fault him for it. After all, the boy had been sitting there, anxious and high-strung, for nearly sixteen hours.

Ichigo drifted back to consciousness, bleary-eyed with lingering upset and sleep, but froze as Unohana's words registered in his mind.

"Hitsugaya-taicho asked for you, Kurosaki-san."

* * *

Slowly, Ichigo reached out and knocked on the door, nervous as hell. Unohana had told him that Toushiro wouldn't be able to speak in anything but a whisper due to the injury he'd received, and that he might drift off during their conversation, but that didn't explain why Toushiro wanted to see him.

There was a weak whisper of 'come in, Kurosaki' from within the hospital room and with slow, deliberate movements the substitute obeyed, trying to avoid looking at the room's occupant for as long as he could. However, the sight was unavoidable, and as the orange-headed teenager sank into the chair by Hitsugaya's bed, he met the ice-captain's gaze.

Frail didn't describe the young man lying helplessly before him. Toushiro's usually warm, golden skin was pale, made pallid by loss of blood, and his emerald gaze was blurred by exhaustion. He was hooked up to an IV, which was passively pumping saline and medications into his bloodstream, and a stiff plastic mask was strapped to his face, a long, clear tube connecting the mask to a tank of concentrated oxygen lying on his bedside table. Ichigo glanced at the boy's chest where the Adjuchas's tail had hit, his face starting to flush with shame, and then noticed something odd.

Were those...?

"...Eyes on my face...Kurosaki."

Toushiro's voice, though faint, was aggressive, and with a deep scarlet blush Ichigo firmly glued his eyes to Toushiro's irritated face.

"...I...Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see...I mean...er..." the teenager floundered, watching as Toushiro's cheeks began to flush slightly, giving him a vaguely feverish look.

"To see that I'm...growing breasts?" the wounded captain asked in a low murmur, a faint smirk on his lips. Ichigo tried his hardest not to glance back at the slight curve of the young man's upper body.

"Yeah, that." he admitted. Toushiro nodded weakly.

"It's...recent." he forced out. "Since Kurotsuchi turned me...into a girl, I've...hit puberty. It's weird...for me too."

Ichigo nodded wordlessly, the conversation dying away into an awkward silence. The only sound was the steady, soft whirr of the oxygen tank by Hitsugaya's bed and the gentle rasp of his pained breathing the only noise. The substitute fidgeted uncomfortably, his distress starting to peak the longer that the young captain spent staring at him. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice trembling.

"Why?" he asked, brown eyes filling up. He clenched his fists, driving his nails into his palms. "Why'd you save me like that?"

Toushiro blinked at his guest, but it was obvious that he'd expected the question - perhaps not so soon, but he'd expected it. The bedridden captain sighed shallowly.

"Because you're my friend...idiot." Toushiro replied, a hint of ice in his tone. "I am...perfectly entitled to save you...if I so choose to do so. I lived through Aizen...I can handle being stabbed."

Ichigo shook his head.

"It was my fault." he said miserably. "You weren't supposed to have to choose to do that."

"Ichigo."

The orange-headed teenager looked at the young captain through teary eyes, then realized that the white-haired captain hadn't called him Kurosaki. He'd said _Ichigo_ , the same way he had when he'd been bleeding out not even a full day prior. The substitute froze.

"I didn't sense...the Hollow either." Toushiro admitted quietly. "And District 44...is under the Tenth Division's supervision. I am the one...who truly failed to do...my duty. Protecting you...was my instinct...but if I had done my job correctly...you would not have needed my intervention..."

Toushiro's voice cut off then, shattering into a series of coughs that seemed to wrack his slender body violently. Ichigo leapt forward, worry in his gaze, and sat down on the edge of the young man's bed, utterly unsure of what to do besides carefully lift Toushiro's chin so that his trachea was aligned - which would hopefully make breathing easier for the boy.

"Toushiro?" Ichigo asked after the coughing fit was over, gently sliding his hand up the ice-captain's soft, pretty face until he was cupping the young captain's cool cheek in one large hand.

Toushiro's eyelids fluttered back open, his expression distinctly pained, and stared up at the substitute, his expression unreadable but somehow vulnerable. Ichigo rubbed his thumb over the smooth, pallid skin, gazing down at the young crossdresser lying tucked up to his chest in blankets, clad in white. The emerald gaze was fixed on him, some lingering traces of mild uncertainty present there, and the bright green irises sparkled gently.

Suddenly, Ichigo realized just how intimate the touch was. Here he was, cradling the ice-captain's soft cheek in one hand, like a lover caressing his partner's face. Their gazes were locked on each other, colliding in a storm of warm brown and cool emerald, and without warning Ichigo realized that both he and Toushiro were blushing deeply. Though that wasn't a terrible thing - even whiter than a sheet from blood loss, Toushiro's pink cheeks were beautiful in a heated sort of fashion, a passionate expression of his shy discomfort. For some reason, Ichigo could hear Chad's words thundering alongside his heartbeat.

 _Make the first kiss a gentle one._

But now wasn't the time or place to do such a thing.

Slowly, Ichigo dropped his hand from the smaller teenager's cool cheekbone, and Toushiro gaped up at him from beneath the oxygen mask. Ichigo ran a hand through his orange hair.

"...Er...sorry for that, you just worried me for a second there..." he covered, knowing that the ice-wielder would probably see through the blatant lie without any effort. He was right. Toushiro's lips pursed in irritation beneath the mask, the startling vulnerability wavering visibly, partially hidden by the young man's irritation.

"Kurosaki..." he growled. "I'm not...a porcelain doll. I'm perfectly capable of...making my own decisions. If this is the price for saving...your life, then I'm glad to pay it. You don't have to treat...me like I'm going to shatter."

Ichigo smiled faintly down at the boy.

"But I want to." he replied softly. "It makes me feel less guilty that I forced you into the situation."

"Kurosaki, you didn't...force me. Nobody forced me. I made the choice to protect you...because I wanted to."

Ichigo paused there, then looked up at the boy in guilty curiosity.

"Why did you want to save me?" he asked, slightly skeptically. "I get that we're friends and everything, but being gored like that seems pretty extreme."

Toushiro's gaze darkened, his expression turning offended.

"Excuse me?" he snarled, then started coughing again, his chest heaving weakly. Ichigo scooted a little closer to the boy's pillows, trying to calm the ice-captain before he hurt himself any further, and slowly the young captain's labored breathing evened out again. Ichigo's expression was one of pure, unadulterated concern and hurt.

"Why would you do this to yourself, Toushiro?" Ichigo murmured, unconsciously twining his fingers with the white-haired captain's. "It's killing me to see you like this."

Toushiro swallowed hard, staring up at the handsome boy above him, at the bright hair and warm eyes, filled currently with such pain that Hitsugaya wouldn't be surprised if the ever-reckless Kurosaki had managed to hurt himself as well. He licked his lips underneath the mask, his throat suddenly dry. The butterflies stirred in his stomach. He could feel Ichigo's warm hand clasping his acutely, the soft fire of the teenager's skin sending tingles of nervous excitement up his arm to his heart.

But finally he spoke.

"...because you told me I was beautiful." he said softly. "Because you didn't even bat an eye when I wore a...dress, but just went straight into the compliments like it was the most...normal thing in the world to see someone who used to be a boy...suddenly prancing around like a little girl, and..."

Ichigo's gaze softened, and he brought the young captain's hand to his lips, brushing a kiss over the pallid knuckles gently. Toushiro went silent, jade gaze wide.

"You _are_ beautiful, Toushiro." the half-human said firmly. "Don't you ever think otherwise. Whether you're transgender or gay or bisexual or gender-queer or pansexual or gender-neutral or straight or even all of them combined somehow, you are beautiful. And yeah...you wearing a dress wasn't normal. But if it felt right to you, then the rest of the world better damn well get used to you in a dress, because I'm not gonna let anyone hold you back."

Toushiro stared for a moment at his fingers, but then sweet smile curled his lips and he laughed softly.

"That's exactly why...I jumped in front of you." he said, his gaze clear as a bright winter's day. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, and Toushiro blushed a bit, clarifying.

"...you accepted me...for who I am, Kurosaki." he said. "And that means a lot to me."

The two didn't say anything more for a while after that, only sat and enjoyed the other's company for a short while. Toushiro's soft breathing filled the silence, and slowly their fingers tangled together, a soft grasp that managed to convey a wealth of information. Hitsugaya stared up at the teenager hovering guiltily over him, a sort of pulling on his heart trying to force his body to press against the larger, broader chest sitting next to him. Another flush rose up his face, and he fought it down.

"...Why...were you in Rukongai?" the flustered young man asked, trying to distract himself, but their linked hands sent pleasant tingles of warmth curling around his heart, and he knew the blush on his cheeks wasn't fading.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ah, well...my little sisters are starting to develop their reiryoku." he said, a bit nervously. "I mean, it's to be expected - Dad was a shinigami before Aizen screwed everything up - but Yuzu...the poor girl can't control her reiatsu yet. Karin's a little better, but...anyway, Urahara told me to go to Soul Society and buy a piece of jewelry or something similar for each of them - it had to be made of reishi, don't ask me why - so that he could turn said jewelry into devices that the girls could use to control their reiatsu. And...well, I actually thought of you while I was there..."

Toushiro blinked in surprise as Ichigo reached into his shihakusho and pulled a chunky navy headband patterned with silver streaks from his sleeve. Ichigo blushed a bit, then set the headband in Toushiro's hand.

"I saw that and thought you'd like it." Ichigo said sheepishly. Toushiro stared at the gift in shock, then reached out and took it, fingers trembling. Then he laughed weakly, ignoring the pain that the movement caused him, and slid the headband into his unruly white hair.

"How do I look?" he asked weakly, smiling faintly, and Ichigo felt as light as a bird then, knowing that the young boy-turning-girl liked the present. He'd succeeded!

"You're beautiful." he said honestly, and as Toushiro smiled beatifically up at him from where the young captain lay wrapped in blankets, Ichigo could swear that he was flying.

* * *

 **Yay, IchiHitsu fluffies! Please review! If you review (and ask for it nicely) I might just give you a snippet of the next chapter! (Only if you ask for it though - don't wanna spoil stuff if you don't want it spoiled)**


	9. Aggravation, Confrontation, Revelation

**A/N: Ok, people.** _ **WARNING:**_ _ ** _EXTREME_ DEROGATORY INSULT PRESENT**_. **Remember, I'm trying to be accurate with people's feelings concerning LGBTQIA+ matters. However, Miyamoto (OC) is also an asshole on top of that, so...**

 **ALSO. Notice the pronoun switch in this chapter. AND TELL ME IF I MESS UP LATER. I keep writing 'his' and 'him' by mistake...Grrr.**

 **Enjoy. And flame Miyamoto (OC). Please. :(**

 _"Zanpakutou."_

 _"Thoughts."_

* * *

Toushiro was released from the Fourth almost a week later, under strict orders from Unohana to avoid physical activity for the next week in order to avoid putting undue stress on his lungs. On top of this - much to his chagrin - his suspension from duty was not ended, thereby making it illegal for him to engage in any sort of combat, whether simulated or real, and from doing any paperwork related to his job. He'd already snapped once and bolted for his Zanpakutou, but a combination of his unsteady breathing and Unohana's quick Kido had pinned him to the ground and sent him into a kido-induced slumber. He'd been hooked up to a sedative drip after that, the calmative drugs working alongside his painkillers to keep him docile and sleepy.

And that had been only after he'd found out about his continued suspension. But this...

"No."

Unohana's expression turned steely, her terrifying smile starting to creep across her face.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, you are either wearing this or you are staying right where you are." she scolded him, her smile dangerously intimidating. Toushiro flinched, glaring at the apparatus in the healing-captain's hands with murder in his eyes.

"Why do I even need that? This is stupid - I'm fine." he asked, grumpily. He reached up and shifted the position of the oxygen mask on his face - it was starting to chafe his skin. Unohana sighed deeply.

"I will be the judge of your state of health, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said calmly. "And right now, your lungs have been functioning passably with highly-concentrated oxygen support. Taking you off the oxygen will have to be slow, so that your lungs can adjust and heal. The nasal cannula will provide a less concentrated oxygen supply, so it can act as a stepping stone to no support entirely. However, you are not leaving this hospital without wearing this - your lungs are still not ready to fully function."

Toushiro glared at the bag in the healing captain's hands, sulking, his young face darkened by his obvious dislike.

"...So I just have to take that around with me wherever I go?" he asked, glowering at it, and Unohana nodded. The young man groaned.

"Ugh." he grunted in disgust. "Fine, show me how to work the thing."

Unohana's smile became much less intimidating then, and she approached serenely, carrying the strange device in her hands. Slowly, she slipped Hitsugaya's breathing mask from his mouth and nose, turning that device completely off.

Almost immediately, Toushiro felt a figurative pillow press over his mouth and nose, inhibiting his breathing, and he leaned forward in shock and surprise. He hadn't expected the air to feel so terribly thin. While he was flailing about trying to adjust, Unohana slid the prongs of the nasal cannula into his nostrils and pressed some button, allowing oxygen to flow through the clear plastic tube.

Almost immediately, Toushiro felt the burden on his lungs ease. He gasped for a moment, trying to calm himself. His lungs still felt like they were working harder than they had been, but at least the invisible pillow was gone. Unohana raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you see my point now, Hitsugaya-taicho?" she asked her patient, her voice dangerous. Toushiro flinched, running his fingers along the tube that was in his nose.

"Yes..." he admitting grudgingly, grumbling unhappily.

Unohana helped him to hook the clear nasal cannula over his ears and tape the tube into the proper position on the sides of his face. Then she showed him how to change out the oxygen tanks that fit into the small backpack he would have to carry around.

After that, his Zanpakutou was returned to him, and he was given leave to get dressed and return to the Tenth Division - minus his uniform. As he was on medical suspension, he couldn't be in uniform. It annoyed him, but he dealt with it calmly, wrapping his growing chest and sliding into a fresh light-teal polo and a pair of clean black jeans that had a tapered fit. He didn't necessarily prefer human clothes to the typical shinigami wear, but he did know that the somewhat-fitted short-sleeve would do a better job at hiding his developing breasts than a simple yukata would, and seeing as how he didn't have any of his winter kimonos with him, the human clothes would have to do for now.

As he slid the backpack's straps over his shoulders and clipped Hyourinmaru's long blade to the side of the backpack, Toushiro touched the nasal cannula he was wearing with a sort of ginger disgust. Unohana came close to him then and took both ends of the thin, clear tube and clipped them together under his chin, then pulled the tube over his left shoulder, ensuring that the tube wouldn't hinder his movements.

"Alright, you're free to go, Hitsugaya-taicho." Unohana said kindly. "And remember, the only time you're authorized to remove the nasal cannula is when you're getting dressed or bathing. And even then, I want you to keep it close by at all times. Isane and I will periodically stop by to check on your progress. And furthermore, you are under no circumstances allowed to smother your chest, regardless of whether your curves begin to become noticeable or not. Am I understood?"

Toushiro scowled but nodded, feeling the uncomfortable pull of the oxygen tube on his face. Then, with a smile, Unohana reminded him to keep the oxygen away from fire, as it was highly flammable, and let him go.

As he walked through the Seireitei towards the Tenth Division, Hitsugaya contemplated his dilemma. He was well into pubescence now, so much so that his waistline had also started to shift, his hips beginning to fill out. He'd noticed that while wearing the thin hospital yukata. It both freaked him out and made him secretly excited at the same time. But while he didn't mind the slow changing of his body, he knew that others probably would, especially when it appeared that he was starting to embrace his 'feminine side' by, well, by _looking_ female.

It was probably better to start off slow, and 'slow' wouldn't even be a possibility unless he started now. Otherwise someone - like Ichigo had, Toushiro remembered with a blush - would suddenly notice the soft curve of his chest, and then everyone in Seireitei would know. That would be too sudden of a revelation.

With this in mind, the young captain ran his fingers through his white hair, pulling it down from its wild spikes into the choppy, layered pixie-bob that Matsumoto had created, sweeping his bangs over the front of his face. Might as well start off slow - the new hairstyle was a relatively unisex one, and though it accentuated the femininity of his facial features, it was neutral enough that while people might look at him funny, they wouldn't say anything. Well, until his hair started to grow out, that is. He was planning on letting it grow to his shoulders, at the very least. That might garner more than a few strange glances.

He couldn't help smiling though, as he felt the tickle of white wisps on the sides of his face, brushing over the oxygen tube in his nose gently. Experimenting with his gender-identity was both interesting and enlightening, and he was glad that he had such a perfect opportunity.

Part of him cringed inwardly at the thought of remaining stifled inside his former gender. Being male hadn't necessarily been terrible, but he'd definitely felt like he'd been boxed in, trapped by gender expectations and a choking social norm that he'd had to tiptoe. He'd been suffocating under all that pressure, but now that he was female he felt those burdens evaporating.

Suddenly he stopped dead in the middle of the street, eyes wide in realization.

" _...Since when did I start thinking 'was male' in the past tense?"_

Hyourinmaru rumbled soothingly in his chest, a slight flicker of amusement purring in the dragon's massive throat.

" _I believe it was on the very day that you saved Kurosaki Ichigo's life."_ the icy drake said gently.  " _You said 'when I come out as transgender.' In those exact words, mind you."_

" _Oh god."_ Toushiro thought, reaching up to cover his face with a hand, his fingers trembling slightly. " _...Holy shit, I..."_

Suddenly he felt light, like a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. He laughed softly to himself in disbelief.

" _...I've already admitted it to myself."_ he stated, and suddenly he felt Hyourinmaru's cold scales rub against his cool skin. " _...I'm female. I'm a 'she.' I'm transgender."_

" _Yes, little one, you have."_ the dragon soothed.  " _But it's probably for the best that you explore being female as fully as you can before you make such a claim."_

" _That's probably a smart idea."_ Toushiro agreed, his mind whirling sharply. Then he sighed, smirking, and continued off towards the Tenth Division, a confident bounce in his step.

" _I suppose I'll just consider myself gender-neutral for now, though I don't think I'll mention that to anyone just yet."_ the young captain thought casually, tapping at their chin with a slender finger. " _It will make things easier for me."_

The young person's Zanpakutou shifted and lifted his massive, scaled head, puffing ice against the inside of his master's wintry soul.

" _As you wish, Hatchling."_ Hyourinmaru hummed, then fell silent. Toushiro turned around a corner, passing by the Ninth Division's storehouses calmly. Dozens of shinigami were bustling about this area, unlike most of the rest of Seireitei, where shinigami were mostly found in twos and threes. Hitsugaya watched for a moment, then continued on towards their division, glad that the Tenth kept a running inventory as things came in and exited their stores, instead of whatever that inventory chaos was. The young ice-captain supposed that Muguruma-taicho preferred it that way, though.

They had just reached the edge of the Tenth Division's sprawling, scattered complex when the unmistakable sound of gossiping shinigami reached the young captain's sharp ears. Suddenly their surname rang in the air and they froze, green eyes flashing emerald with curiosity, then slowly inched forward to peer around the corner of a building. A group of four Tenth Division unseated were sitting lazily on the ground, chatting amongst themselves.

"Are you sure that's true, Tomoya?"

"I heard Fifth Seat Kawamori-san talking about it with Third Seat Takahashi not three days ago!"

"The captain was really wearing one of the lieutenant's headbands? Somehow I doubt that."

"It was _floral_. Patterned with _flowers_."

"Could anything be any girlier?"

"You say that Kawamori-san actually _saw_ that?"

"I'm telling you, that's exactly what I heard!"

"That's weird to think about, honestly. The captain acting all girly? I can't picture it..."

"I know, right? My clan would have a fit if that was true, and frankly, so would I. It's disgusting."

"Oh, can it, Hiraku. The Miyamoto clan is bonkers anyway - you're proof of that."

"Hey!"

"I kinda agree with Hiraku though - the captain acting like a girl would be really weird. I don't know if it would be _disgusting_ , though. I mean, Unohana-taicho and Soifon-taicho are scary-strong, and they're women."

"The point is that the captain is male, Kiyoko, and for him to suddenly be acting like a girl is completely and utterly reprehensible. If this rumor is true...ugh, I don't know what I'll do. Hopefully my clan will be able to do something to remove that _filth_ from power. I would feel sick knowing that some obscene  fag was in command."

"Hiraku, watch your tongue - don't call Hitsugaya-taicho that! Besides, the captain would still be able to command us just fine even if he was a girl, so I don't see-"

Toushiro felt their icy temper snap, and with a sharp cough they strode out in front of the group, their arms crossed, their emerald eyes narrowed. The group of unseated whirled around to gape at the ice-wielder.

"Don't you four have anything better to be doing?" Hitsugaya hissed, the storm of anger breaking in wild fury over the sweet golden tan of their face. The oxygen support tube in their nose was momentarily forgotten. "Because I think that if you lot are bored enough to talk about me like _that_ behind my back, then I could put you to work scrubbing the entirety of the Seireitei's sewers alongside the Fourth Division members."

All four of the shinigami paled violently, shaking in terror, and slowly, one of them stood up - Miyamoto Hiraku, incidentally, as if he hadn't been the intolerant, foul-mouthed bastard who'd casually sullied Toushiro's honor with the derogatory names.

"H-H-Hitsu-g-gaya-t-taicho...We-we didn't m-mean-" he tried, but Toushiro cut the horrified man off.

"Shut up!" the ice-spirit snarled. "I might still be recovering right now, but I can and will bifurcate you if you so much as _speak_ my name again! How dare you slander me behind my back! How  dare you! What kind of discipline is this?!"

The four shinigami fell utterly silent, trembling in the face of the captain's vicious wrath.

"Get up, all of you." the white-haired captain spat. "I've half a mind to tell Zaraki that you four are willing to become his training dummies, so you damn well better _behave your freaking selves_ while I find your commanding officer."

The only girl of the lot burst into silent tears, and the three guys looked like they envied her ability to sob, so pale were their faces and so red were their eyes - stupid gender roles. But they trailed behind Hitsugaya obediently as the furious young teenager stalked like a snarling panther through the Tenth Division and into the now-crowded main training ground, where one of Toushiro's junior Thirteenth Seats was busy leading a kido lesson with some of the less capable of the Tenth's shinigami.

The usually cheerful air of the training grounds went still and silent as the grave as Toushiro stormed across the earthen ground, the blazing ice of the dragon-captain's reiatsu whirling thick and cold about them. All eyes were on the ice-captain, most wide in trepidation, and flickered to the group of white-lipped, almost-sobbing unseated shinigami standing shamefacedly behind the building blizzard.

"Thirteenth Seat Yoshida Junko, front and center." Hitsugaya growled out, and with a hard swallow the bright-blonde woman came over to stand in front of them.

"S-sir." she said nervously, her gaze switching to the foursome standing behind her captain. Her dark eyes turned wide in understanding and horror. It was rare for Hitsugaya to pass on a dressing-down to a shinigami's superior officer, but when it happened, it meant that the benevolent ice-drake coiled about Toushiro's frozen soul was about ready to wet his great muzzle with blood.

"These four are under your jurisdiction, correct?" they hissed, their snarling voice soft but carrying effortlessly across the courtyard. Junko felt her heart sink.

"Yes sir." she said, her shoulders drooping miserably. Hitsugaya didn't seem to notice or care.

"Can you tell me," the furious captain growled, "exactly _why_ your subordinates thought it would be acceptable behavior to spread rumors about me and call me derogatory names behind my back? After swearing an oath of _unbreakable loyalty_ to the Tenth Division and to me, no less?"

The Thirteenth Seat glared hard at her subordinates, her mouth falling slightly open in disbelief.

"I'm afraid I don't know, Hitsugaya-taicho, sir." she said, her voice thick with budding anger and shame. "I thought they knew better..."

"Clearly not." Hitsugaya snapped icily, glaring daggers at the four who had insulted them so deeply. The training grounds were deathly silent, and as Matsumoto ran forward onto the scene a soft murmur of apprehension went up. The lieutenant was extremely protective of her captain - she was even more dangerous than the ice-wielder when the young captain's reputation or character was abused.

"I don't even care about the context, but when someone calls me an 'obscene fag' it _obviously_ demonstrates a complete and utter lack of respect for authority as well as blatant contempt of a commanding officer." Toushiro spat venomously, their breathing quick and shallow, their lungs beginning to fail as all the yelling put unnecessary stress on the still-healing organs. Hitsugaya caught their breath after a moment, however, and wheeled around to face the four unseated shinigami, emerald gaze blazing with draconic fury. "Regardless of how I am rumored to act on my own time - which you should not be speaking about in the _first place_ \- you four swore an oath of loyalty to me and are required by _law_ to uphold that no matter what! Does this vow mean  nothing to you?!"

For a moment there was silence, and the unseated woman, Kiyoko, sobbed even harder. The men on either side of her looked to be on the verge of complete and utter panic. Hitsugaya was gasping for breath by now, their lungs tight with lack of oxygen. They felt dizzy, and the world was spinning around them like a top. But then Matsumoto, her ashen reiatsu rising viciously, spoke. Her voice was unnaturally soft.

"...What did they call you, Taicho?" she asked, her tone flat. Her expression was devoid of any warmth, her blue eyes on fire. Her hand drifted back to Haineko's hilt, and the entire training ground flinched. Toushiro turned to her, trying weakly to speak, but they couldn't. Matsumoto's eyes widened upon seeing the oxygen tube in her captain's small nose, and saw then what nobody else did - Hitsugaya was suffocating. They'd yelled too much for their still-weakened lungs to handle.

"Oh god, Taicho!" she yelped, rushing forward to help her captain. She reached out to them, supporting their weight for a brief moment as they sagged against her, wheezing, their intelligent green eyes glazing over. The entire courtyard broke into worried shouts, several of the senior officers rushing forward to help their captain and lieutenant.

"Easy, Taicho, just breathe..." Matsumoto told her friend and captain, her expression worried. Toushiro, their head starting to clear as the oxygen support revived them, nodded weakly, well aware that the buxom lieutenant was the only thing keeping them on their feet. Junko gaped in horror at her captain, suddenly realizing that her subordinates had forced the white-haired teenager into their current gasping state. She turned on the group with a furious glare.

"I hope you four are proud of yourselves." she snapped at them heatedly. "How dare you speak of Hitsugaya-taicho so rudely! Even if he was...oh, I don't know...even if he was some sort of LGBTQIA+ individual, speaking about him in such incredibly derogatory terms would be entirely _unacceptable!_ "

The four winced. Matsumoto glared at them, her lips pressed together in a thin line, rubbing slow circles into Hitsugaya's strong back as they attempted to suck in enough oxygen to calm their racing heart.

"You four should be glad that it was Taicho who caught you." she said, her tone devoid of any kindness, leaving only blistering wrath. "I don't think that you would have survived my anger."

"Enough, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya choked out, their breaths slow enough now for them to relax somewhat. They coughed into an elbow, their chest still heaving, though it was clear that the oxygen tube was doing wonders. "Thirteenth Seat Yoshida, I am placing these four on probation - one more incident like this and I will personally see to it that they exit the Gotei 13 in disgrace. Your squad will be relieved of active duty for the next two weeks and relegated to doing chores alongside the Fourth Division. If any of your subordinates protest, direct them to any one of these four and ask them to explain exactly what they've done - although considering the publicity of this punishment, I'm sure they'll understand _precisely_ what their comrades have done."

The ice-captain turned to go, Matsumoto still standing watchfully at their side, when Miyamoto Hiraku, in a show of both incredible bravery and incredible stupidity, stepped forward.

"...but sir, is that rumor true? That you were wearing one of the lieutenant's floral headbands?" he asked, swallowing hard. Wavering disgust flared in the minor noble's eyes. Hitsugaya suddenly went very, very still. The entire courtyard listened with bated breath, watching as the white-haired captain shot an unreadable glance in Miyamoto's direction. For a long moment even the sound of the wind ruffling the leaves of the trees seemed deafening.

"...yes, it's true." Hitsugaya admitted finally. The assembled mass of his division stiffened in shock, and Miyamoto's face split into a sneer of repulsion.

"...that's...that's..." the unseated man spluttered, his face reddening. "So I was _justified_ in my name-calling?!"

Hitsugaya's glare was icy-cold.

"Don't be stupid." they snapped, a dragon's vicious bite in their words. " First off, I'm all out of whack right now - I mean, what do you think happened to me in the Twelfth Division a few weeks ago? Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho freaking thought that it would be funny to spill a currently-irreversible drug on me that...gah, I'm a girl! The stupid drug turned me female, and there's no counter! So me acting a bit irregular should be permissible!"

Miyamoto blinked in surprise, as did everyone else assembled. Toushiro massaged their temples, appearing stressed, but in reality they were thinking hard about how to word their next few ideas so that nobody fell into an uproar.

"And second..." they said, one hand drifting back to Hyourinmaru's hilt in warning. "Even if I _had_ chosen to wear that thing without any reason other than me simply wanting to - because  god forbid my gender preferences don't match my biological sex - then you would _still_ be completely and utterly out of line. Are we clear?"

The nobleman's jaw dropped.

"You can't be saying you support that kind of thing, Captain!" he protested. "I mean, obviously what you're going through right now isn't your fault, but-"

"Miyamoto, I'm biologically female at this point in time. By your logic, me pretending to be a boy for as long as I have been is morally wrong." Hitsugaya said flatly. "And you just pointed out one of the key tenets of the LGBTQIA+ argument, you know - it's not my fault that I don't feel like I belong in this skin."

Miyamoto fell silent suddenly, eyes wide as he realized what he'd just said. Toushiro tossed their head in derision.

"And yes, I support LGBTQIA+ people." they said, rolling their eyes. "Their decisions don't affect my personal life, and it makes them happy. Therefore, let them do whatever the hell they want. It's not my business. And it isn't yours either. Understand?"

Miyamoto closed his mouth with an audible snap, and Hitsugaya turned to their men, green gaze blazing.

"You lot heard that." they snapped tonelessly. "So damn well get used to it."

There was a moment's pause, but then every single one of the seated officers saluted sharply, some sort of nameless understanding shining in their eyes.

"Yes sir!" they chorused. Hitsugaya nodded once.

"Good." they bit out. "I'm going home, Matsumoto - I feel like crap from all the shouting."

His lieutenant bowed deeply to him, then sighed deeply.

"Taicho?"

Toushiro threw a green glance over his white-clad shoulder.

"Yes?" he asked, peering over top of the oxygen backpack on his back. Rangiku smiled warmly.

"Momo-chan wanted to let you know that you're going over to her house for dinner tomorrow night. She's having a bit of a party." she said cheerfully. "And she told me to let you know that you don't have a choice in the matter."

Hitsugaya's expression went soft, their lips curling up in a grin.

"Pushy Hinamori." they said, shaking their head in fond exasperation. "Alright, thanks for telling me. I'll be sure to hide myself well when she comes looking for me."

Rangiku smiled widely.

"Renji, Kuchiki-san, Ichigo-kun, and Izuru will all be going, and me as well." she said, winking knowingly at the suddenly flustered ice-wielder. "And I know that you're on medical leave, as well as knowing all your hiding places. If you skip out on this, we're going to hunt you down. As Momo-chan said, you don't have a choice, and you don't have an excuse like paperwork to stop you."

Hitsugaya opened their mouth soundlessly, gaping like a fish at their wicked lieutenant. Then they groaned and massaged their face wearily.

"I give up on you people." the ice-captain grouched. "Fine, I'll be there."

Matsumoto cheered, and several of the division members started laughing quietly. The scene was relatively familiar. Matsumoto and Hinamori often bullied Hitsugaya into social events, and everyone in the division knew about it. Hitsugaya grumbled at them in mortification, crossing a pair of sun-kissed arms over their developing chest and storming off in a huff.

"Aw, Taicho, come back!" Matsumoto laughed, smiling, and Hitsugaya scowled at her, continuing to march away.

"Hell no."

* * *

 **Review! It is a command! You must not disobey! (or, alternately, I'll get down on my digital knees and beg. Puppy eyes?)**

 **~avtorSola**


	10. Dinner Disaster

**A/N: And some more IchiHitsu interaction. And the beautiful beginning of a HitsuRuki friendship! (I have a headcanon where these two hang out a lot. Call me crazy, but I think their personalities are too similar for them to not be friends)**

 **Also. Yeah. I know people like Kira. Sorry. :S**

* * *

Dinner at Hinamori's was extremely pleasant, Hitsugaya decided, even if Abarai's brash attitude coupled with Ichigo's overprotective personality after they'd both eaten was an explosive combination. At least the rest of them had fun watching the pair of morons beating each other up. Rukia was the only one who didn't seem to find it funny - and it was her actions that Toushiro was laughing hardest at.

"Renji, you complete imbecile!"

"Ow, Rukia!"

The redheaded lieutenant started hopping around on one foot, the petite shinigami woman having nailed him in the shin with a hard kick. Ichigo was grinning with schadenfreude in the background, sitting next to Toushiro on the couch with his arm thrown loosely over the back of the low sofa. Hitsugaya's backpack of oxygen sat between them, and from time to time Ichigo checked the pressure gauges on it anxiously. Hitsugaya let him do so, pretending not to notice. He knew that Ichigo was still feeling unusually guilty over the Adjuchas incident in District 44, and the nasal cannula definitely wasn't helping anything.

"Guys, calm down!" Momo said, waving her hands frantically at the irate Rukia and her prey. "We're all friends here!"

"Only when Renji isn't being an ass, you mean." Ichigo laughed. Rukia whirled on him with a growl, but before she could inflict any damage, a small hand smashed into the back of Ichigo's head. The substitute's face was slammed into his knee, bruising his chin.

"Ow! Toushiro!"

Everyone stared. Toushiro huffed irritably, brushing their downy white hair from their eyes.

"I'm allowed to pull shit like that." they said loftily. "Kurosaki was annoying me, and I outrank everyone here."

Ichigo massaged the back of his head, groaning, looking rueful.

"Remind me not to annoy you in the future..." he grumbled, though a smile twitched at his lips. "You've got a nasty punch."

A pleased flush of golden-rose shaded over Toushiro's pale cheeks.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Ichigo's smile widened.

"It was most definitely meant as one." he confirmed, and Toushiro rolled their eyes at the boy, though the satisfied smirk stayed on their pink lips. Matsumoto leaned back into the chair, resting her head on Kira's shoulder in a friendly sort of way, watching her captain from across the room. Momo bounded over to sit next to her sibling's buxom lieutenant.

"This is going too perfectly!" the brunette girl whisper-cheered, smiling broadly, and Matsumoto grinned, watching slowly as Ichigo's arm stealthily crept down from the top of the couch until his hand rested on the couch cushion next to the kimono-clad captain. The young ice-wielder was wearing a pretty shade of deep burgundy with long winter sleeves, and the warm wine color went remarkably well with their gold-toned skin.

"I'll say." the woman smirked. "Taicho's been smiling for a full fifteen minutes, and his eyes have barely left Ichigo-kun's handsome face. And Ichigo is being really subtle about it, but it won't be long before his arm shifts just a bit more and loops over Taicho's shoulders."

Renji dragged himself to a chair, whimpering as his shins protested, and Rukia collapsed opposite the 'wounded' redhead with a huff of annoyance. Then she looked up at the white-haired captain.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, thank you for managing to knock Ichigo back into line." she said with a smile. Toushiro paused.

"You don't have to call me 'taicho' when I'm off duty, Kuchiki. Hitsugaya is fine." they said slowly, and the entire room froze. Rukia felt her expression light up.

"Really?" she asked. Hitsugaya nodded once, smiling slightly.

"Of course." they said. "...neither do you, Kurosaki."

The ear-splitting smile on the substitute's face was like an igniting sun, almost blinding in its brightness, and Toushiro couldn't help but flush in the face of that radiance. For a moment all the icy little taicho could see was the joyful glow of Kurosaki's gaze, the molten chocolate of that stare. Then they shook themselves, shivering a bit at the butterflies surging suddenly through their stomach. Rukia (& Matsumoto & Hinamori too) was grinning broadly at the duo behind their backs, almost bouncing up and down in her chair. Toushiro looked like a baby deer caught in the headlights of the substitute's grin, helpless, and Ichigo looked like a child presented with a large, prettily wrapped package for no reason - ecstatic.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya-san." Rukia chirped then, her smile bright, the folds of her ice-pink dress rippling over her lap. Toushiro nodded at her, their burgundy kimono gathered neatly about their slender ankles. Izuru and Renji watched in confusion, and then the blonde man opened his mouth in bafflement.

" Are you alright, Hitsugaya-taicho?" the blonde man asked. Hitsugaya shot a careless glance his way.

"As much as I can be with this stupid thing." they said, gesturing at the oxygen backpack in no slight disgust. "Why?"

Kira shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, you see...a sort of rumor has been floating around Seireitei..." he said, and almost everyone except Renji, who was also in the dark, winced. Toushiro stiffened, lips pressing together in a thin line.

"A rumor?" they asked flatly. "What sort of rumor?"

Kira shifted uncomfortably.

"That Kurotsuchi-taicho turned you female, Hitsugaya-taicho." Renji answered for the discomforted lieutenant, his gaze disapproving. "People are saying that you've been acting funny, and they're blaming it on that. Of course, it's a load of bullshit, but-"

"It's true."

For a long moment, there was silence, and then Izuru blinked at the captain. Hitsugaya seemed a bit fidgety, but otherwise perfectly calm, as if they were merely discussing the weather.

"It's...true?" the Third Division Lieutenant asked in disbelief. Renji gaped. Hitsugaya sighed a long-suffering sigh.

"Yes, it's true." they said patiently. "At the moment, Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho is working on the counter, but until then I'm stuck like this."

The redheaded lieutenant tugged on his ponytail in shock.

"R-really?" he squeaked out, looking somehow terrified. Hitsugaya rolled their eyes.

"Oh my god, _boys_." they said, a dismissive, disbelieving inflection hidden in the young teenager's smooth voice. Then Hitsugaya reached around behind their torso and pulled the relatively loose burgundy cloth wrapping their frame taut against their golden skin. Two soft swells rose into sharp profile on their chest. Renji and Izuru squeaked. Toushiro rolled their eyes again, then let the cloth go, hiding their breasts once again. Matsumoto positively squealed.

"Oh, _Taicho_ , I didn't know you were so bold!" she teased. Hitsugaya glared at her, crossing strong arms over a slender chest.

"For gods' sake." the golden-skinned young woman said with a uninterested flick of their dark eyelashes. "The idiots needed proof. And for the love of ice, eyes on my face, Abarai!"

Renji flushed scarlet, withdrawing his stare, and with a deep blush across their face Toushiro scowled at the lieutenant.

"What _is_ it with guys and their obsession with ogling girls openly?" they grumbled. Hinamori and Matsumoto started laughing, as did Rukia.

"Welcome to our world, Hitsugaya-kun." Hinamori giggled. "And think of poor Rangiku-san! With a chest like hers, _everyone_ stares, even other girls!"

"I think I'll spontaneously combust if every man I come across does that to me. Why do guys _do_ that?" the young captain complained, their button nose wrinkled up, and their soft lips pursed in disgust. But suddenly Izuru spoke up, his blue eyes wide and his shy voice unusually strong.

"Hitsugaya-taicho...are you referring to yourself as female?"

The convivial atmosphere suddenly evaporated. Matsumoto and Hinamori visibly tensed, as did Rukia, and Izuru and Renji exchanged long, puzzled looks. The tension in the air couldn't be cut by even Zangetsu, which was leaning against the sword rack in the far corner of the room, Hyourinmaru's gleaming silver length abnormally close to it. Toushiro was sitting frozen, delicate hands fisted in their robes, taking long, slow breaths through the tube in their nose.

Inside, Hitsugaya's mind was whirling. They hadn't expected to be caught - and by a lieutenant, no less. They could admit to the slip-up and tell the room the truth, even though most of them knew it anyways, or they could give the expected answer that they _were_ technically female. But that would only make things harder later on down the road when they wanted to come completely out of the closet.

They needed to start distinguishing between allies and opponents now...but it was violently nerve-wracking...

Suddenly a large, warm hand covered their small fingers, curling around into their cool palms, and suddenly Toushiro could hear their heart pounding in their ears. Ichigo was looking down at them with something like encouragement in his brown eyes, the bright shock of his hair a focal point.

 _Trust me - tell them_ , his face seemed to say.

Without realizing it, Toushiro slipped their hand into Ichigo's and held tight, fingers interlacing, their soft white bangs falling into one eye. They took a deep breath, then looked Izuru straight in the face, refusing to avert their gaze. Ichigo rubbed his thumb over the back of the smaller shinigami's hand in silent reassurance.

"It was for good reason." Toushiro said quietly, knowing that they were skirting the issue. Izuru was just about to further speak when Hitsugaya continued, their voice soft.

"I'm gender-questioning." they said. Then Toushiro smiled a little bit, a buoying wave of confidence sweeping through them from the palm of his hand and the tips of his fingers, as if Ichigo's mere touch was enough to remind them of their strength. Izuru and Renji stared for a solid minute, gaping.

Then Renji glanced up at Ichigo, his stare incredulous.

"Oh hell, he's another one of you weirdos." the lieutenant said, outwardly dismayed, but a grin was twitching at his lips. "So one of my superior officers is gender-questioning, one of my best friends is bisexual...what next? Momo, you and Rangiku aren't going suddenly start making out, are you?"

Momo and Rangiku looked at each other in surprise, and after a moment Rangiku winked at the other lieutenant.

"Maybe. Momo-chan is pretty cute." the flirty woman said. Hinamori laughed, then with an utterly straight face turned the buxom woman down.

"Sorry, I'm straight." the girl said with a saddened expression. Rangiku laughed as well, blue eyes flashing.

"Well, that's okay. So am I." she said with a grin.

"...I'd hope so..." Izuru said softly, glancing up at Hitsugaya and Ichigo with some discomfort written across his face. "Er...Hitsugaya-taicho...are you sure that-"

Toushiro raised a hand to cut the man off in midsentence, their gaze cool and slippery.

"Twenty years is a long time, Kira-fukutaicho, even in the life of a shinigami." the young captain said flatly. "I'm more comfortable this way - more myself this way."

Kira shifted.

"But you were born male for a reason, right?" he tried again, and Toushiro felt Hyourinmaru growl in the back of their head. The emerald stare fell cold on Izuru's face.

"And I was born stronger than you for a reason also, I suppose?" Toushiro asked coldly. "I was born able to attain Bankai for a reason, perhaps? Didn't seem to do much against Aizen. Sometimes coincidence is just coincidence. Like you being Ichimaru's lieutenant."

Kira's expression turned hurt, and his eyebrows knitted together on his forehead. The lieutenant's lips pressed together in a thin line.

"That was uncalled for, Hitsugaya-taicho." he accused quietly. Toushiro's eyes flashed.

"And you trying to tell me how I should behave was also uncalled for, Kira-fukutaicho." Hitsugaya reminded the gloomy man with a scowl. "Do I really need to pull rank on you over this? I'm not asking you to condone it, I'm asking you to tolerate it - especially if I end up transgender."

Kira stiffened, dark blue glare flickering unhappily.

"I don't know if I can, Hitsugaya-taicho." he said honestly. "To be completely frank with you, I think it's incredibly wrong - unnatural, almost. It's extremely discomforting."

A quick flame of bluewhite reiatsu ran along the ground, and suddenly the entire room was covered in a thick layer of crusted rime. Toushiro's scowl deepened into terrible anger.

"All of my previous reincarnations were female, if that makes you feel more _comfortable_ , Kira-fukutaicho." Hitsugaya snapped, almost rising. Ichigo tugged the young ice-wraith back into their seat gently, running a soothing hand over their shifting waistline and without a second thought wound a pair of strong arms about the slender waist. Toushiro fell back with an 'oof' into Ichigo's lap and immediately went bright red. The ice melted instantly.

The substitute ignored Toushiro's struggles to escape and looked at Izuru from undeneath his orange fringe.

"Hey, Izuru. Have you ever seen Toushiro smile?"

"It's Hitsugaya, Kurosaki, and let me fight my own battles."

"Oh hush and stop wiggling around; I can handle this."

Izuru watched the exchange between the two with growing trepidation, but then realized he'd been asked a question. Slowly, he shook his head.

"I can't say I have..." he replied warily, and Ichigo nodded approvingly.

"Okay, that's fine." he replied. "Now, just think for a moment. Before tonight, what did you think Toushiro's personality was like?"

Izuru frowned.

"I don't see how this is relevant..." he trailed off uncertainly, and Ichigo rolled his eyes, pulling Toushiro's shallow curves flush against his chest for a moment.

"Just answer." he snapped a bit brusquely. "And I told you to stop squirming, Toushiro."

"Let me go, Kurosaki!"

Izuru blinked.

"I, uh..." he swallowed hard. "Hitsugaya-taicho always...always seems very uptight to me. He is very serious...focused...self-sacrificing."

Ichigo nodded agreeably.

"You mean he's a stick in the mud that doesn't have a life outside his office?" the substitute asked cheerfully, prompting a squawk of protest from Toushiro. Ichigo groaned, then dumped the young almost-woman onto the couch beside him. Izuru stared, watching as Toushiro's expression alternated between flushed anger and blushing shyness.

"Er...that's a bit blunt..." he said hesitantly, and Ichigo shrugged.

"Yeah, but that's what you meant, isn't it?" he asked offhandedly. "Now, considering what Toushiro just told you, why the hell do you think he's all closed up like a frightened turtle in that office of his?"

"Kurosaki!"

"Oh, shut it, Toushiro, I'm trying to help."

The proverbial lightbulb went off in Kira's head.

"...because he can't do what he wants to do." Izuru said softly. "Because he wants to behave like a girl, but can't."

Ichigo nodded.

"Toushiro is cold because he has to be to hide his inner self, not because he wants to be a cold-hearted bastard, Izuru." Ichigo explained. "He's actually a right sweetheart when he sets his mind to it. I saw him in the Living World a few weeks ago - that's when Rukia and I found out that he's questioning - and...oh god, he must have been smiling the entire time. And he had fun."

Izuru was silent, and so was Toushiro, who was staring at Ichigo like they'd never seen the man before. Kurosaki's expression was somewhat self-righteous.

"Now, I'm not trans or questioning, so I don't speak entirely from experience." Ichigo said. "But I'd hazard a guess that it's goddamn painful to deny yourself all the time; to suppress every instinct you have because it's 'not proper' for a boy to be playing around in a dress."

Izuru gazed down at his feet, and Kurosaki continued.

"It doesn't affect you if Toushiro decides that he's going to be a girl for the rest of his life. It just makes him happier. Why is that such a bad thing?" Ichigo reasoned. "Look, I get it makes you uncomfortable, and that's totally okay. It'll hurt Toushiro for a bit, but you're allowed to dislike the whole affair. But if you actually care about the person, then for their sake alone, you'll _try_ to become comfortable with it. Or at least you won't try to discourage them."

"Kurosaki..." Izuru started, glancing from him to Toushiro and back again. "Hitsugaya-taicho..."

Toushiro was still frozen under Ichigo's arm, the oxygen in their nose puffing softly, but they managed to acknowledge the lieutenant with a nod. Izuru hesitated.

"I...I won't discourage you, at the very least, Hitsugaya-taicho." the blonde man said. Then he seemed to gather his resolve. "But I still think this is wrong."

Toushiro felt something in their heart crack minutely, but they gathered their courage and spoke.

"And I know it's right." they replied quietly.

After the argument, the dinner party wasn't quite the same. Toushiro was withdrawn, and stuck close to either Ichigo, Matsumoto, or Hinamori, and Izuru was simmering anxiety, a wary sort of repulsion swimming off him in waves. True to his word, he said nothing when Hitsugaya joined in the girls' conversation concerning the art classes they'd all taken, and mentioned to Rukia that they were planning on returning to her brother's calligraphy lessons. But his expression was distinctly uncomfortable.

When they finally decided to part ways for the evening, Hinamori rose and took Izuru's arm, leading him firmly from the room with a frown fixed upon her pretty face. The other lieutenant followed nervously, and after the door shut behind them and their voices drifted away, the pair's reiatsu began flickering angrily. They were obviously arguing. Renji, Rangiku, Rukia, Ichigo and Toushiro sat silently in Hinamori's living room, the atmosphere tense.

Suddenly, there was a hard swallow.

"Hitsugaya-taicho...do all the other captains know of your current state?" Renji asked cautiously. Hitsugaya looked up at the redheaded lieutenant, the jade stare cool and dry.

"Unohana knows. So does Ukitake. I wouldn't be surprised if Kyoraku and Yamamoto know by now as well - according to Ukitake, they had suspected for a long time that being male wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I haven't said anything to anyone else, though." the teenager replied. "They all know that Kurotsuchi turned me into a girl."

Renji bit his lip, his tattoos wrinkled on his forehead because of the concern on his face.

"I'd recommend telling them as soon as possible." Renji said, his expression unusually serious. "I know I'm not in any position to give you advice, but the rumors flying around Seireitei will turn nasty quickly. If you want any sort of support, you have to tell the other captains before they hear the dirty side of the gossip. I know that Kuchiki-taicho in particular would prefer to hear this from your mouth rather than from the gossipers of the Sixth."

Toushiro nodded, folding their hands in their lap, but they were visibly worrying their bottom lip with their teeth, clearly indicating their hesitancy. Rukia jumped in then.

"Hitsugaya-san, Nii-sama won't judge you." she said hurriedly. "He's fairly friendly with Shihoin Yuushirou, and Shihoin-sama is-"

"Transgender, I know. Yoruichi told me." Hitsugaya finished, lips quirking. "...Are you sure your brother won't take this badly?"

Rukia shook her head.

"I highly doubt it." she said, smiling. "Nii-sama thinks highly of you - he admires your effective leadership and efficiency. That's all he really cares about."

Toushiro shifted, their feet curling together on the smooth floor, and they slid the oxygen backpack onto their back.

"...then I suppose I'll let him know tomorrow, after the calligraphy lesson." Toushiro said finally, and Rukia grinned broadly, then remembered her rank and hurriedly hid her smile.

"If you'd like, I'll hang back for moral support. If it goes badly then we can head to the restaurants and grab lunch on me." she offered. Toushiro's emerald gaze flickered with something nameless, and then a slight smile curled their lips up.

"That would be appreciated greatly, Kuchiki." Toushiro replied, their voice warm. "...Thank you."

Ichigo stood up then and stretched, his shihakusho rustling quietly. He grabbed Zangetsu from the polished wooden stand by the door and slung the giant meat-cleaver over his back with a smile.

"I should probably head home. Let me know how Byakuya takes it, won't you, Toushiro?" he asked. Hitsugaya glared.

"It's _Hitsugaya_ , Kurosaki. And yes, I will tell you how _Kuchiki-taicho_ responds to the news." the young captain said with a stress on the surnames and titles. Ichigo just waved him off with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, you always say that." Ichigo laughed. "But anyway, have you seen the Star Wars movies? There's a new one coming out and I was wondering..."

The shinigami all blinked. A few crickets chirped in the background. Ichigo facepalmed.

"You haven't heard of Star Wars, have you?"

As one, all the shinigami shook their heads, Rukia included. The substitute sighed.

"Alright, fine." he said. "I was going to invite you to come see the seventh Star Wars with me in theaters, but if you haven't seen the first six there's no point. I'll just have to get you guys up to speed first."

Rangiku's face lit up.

"Movie marathon?!" she asked excitedly, and Ichigo nodded.

"Yep. All of you better show up at my house next weekend armed with pajamas, snacks, and a crap-ton of caffeine, because I'm going to show you all six of the Star Wars films back-to-back. No sleeping!" he warned, shaking his finger at them. The seventeen-year-old's expression turned playful. "How dare you not know Star Wars! Ignorant shinigami!"

"Pot. Kettle." Toushiro replied dryly, but they were smiling. "Who are you inviting? I'm assuming everyone here?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Everyone here, and then Momo-san as well. Possibly Ikkaku and Yumichika, but movies aren't really their speed, so maybe not." he said. "Feel free to bring a plus one. And gigais are unnecessary - my entire family can see spirits."

Renji whooped.

"Party at Ichigo's!"

"Next week, you ass!"

 _Whack!_

"Ow, Rukia!"

Toushiro laughed softly, watching as the petite shinigami girl stood over her two idiot friends, both of whom were whimpering and clutching at various body parts.

"Kuchiki, I think you and I are going to be very good friends." the ice-captain said with another laugh. Rukia grinned back at the captain.

"I hope so, sir!"

Ichigo whined pathetically up at his crush in supplication from where he was sprawled on the floor, and Toushiro made a face at him.

"Moron."

* * *

 **EEEK! SO I JUST WROTE THE CHAPTER WHERE ICHIGO & TOUSHIRO FINALLY STOP DANCING AROUND EACH OTHER AND PANCAKES! EEEEK! (I think it's kinda cute, and it's super fluffy :D Can't wait to post it!)**

 **Reviews are delightful - Please leave them!**

 **~avtorSola**


	11. Insight

**A/N: And more plot. Yay! (IchiHitsu cuteness next chapter, so stay tuned!)**

 **Also, PM me or leave a review if you have any questions!**

* * *

"I did not expect to see you here again, Hitsugaya-taicho."

Toushiro tilted their face away from the large scroll unrolled in from of them, where they had been painstakingly copying down one of their favorite Lao Tzu quotes in traditional Chinese characters. They were planning on writing a translation in Japanese on the back, but for the moment they felt that the Chinese would do a better job of conveying the meaning, and most shinigami could read a myriad of other languages due to the soul's innate gift of communication.

"I found calligraphy calming, Kuchiki-taicho. Why would I not return when I have an abundance of free time?" they said after a moment, setting their brush aside and rotating the slender wrist to work out some of the kinks

The tall Captain of the Sixth Division regarded his younger colleague for a moment, then sat seiza next to the white-haired teenager, taking a finished scroll and coolly evaluating it. Kuchiki-taicho's calligraphy class was almost over for the day, and the stoic captain no longer needed to demonstrate some of the finer techniques to his curious students - which included a baffled-looking Abarai, several scattered officers and unseated men from various divisions, and a somewhat-strained Kuchiki Rukia.

"I am glad you find it so." Kuchiki said, his pale lips twitching in what could have been mistaken for a smile if you squinted. "May I ask why you have chosen to write in Chinese?"

Toushiro folded their hands in their lap, the neat navy-blue of their off-duty kimono contrasting beautifully with their golden skin. The navy headband that Ichigo had given them a fortnight ago was settled gently in their hair, the winking silver threads offset prettily by the navy background. A pale turquoise scarf was wrapped around their neck, matching the neat obi at their waist and masking the trail of their nasal cannula, and the young person toyed absently with the scarf's folds while considering the question. When they next spoke, their tone was thoughtful but uncharacteristically soft.

"Lao Tzu was Chinese, and thus wrote in Chinese." they said simply. "I cannot be true to his meaning if I change his words. Nothing should hide behind a mask for the benefit of others' understanding and comfort."

Kuchiki-taicho's eyebrows rose at the articulate response, as if he was not expecting the philosophical answer, but after a long moment his slate grey stare melted into something slightly more understanding. For a while longer the two captains continued to write their sloping calligraphy side-by-side, and as various members of the calligraphy class packed up and left, Toushiro added the final, careful stroke to the flower motif they were painting in the lower left corner of their scroll. They smiled down at the paper, satisfied by the result, and set the brush aside.

Rukia, her smile flickering with something like apprehension, watched the final few stragglers leave the Kuchiki manor, Abarai included, then lifted her dark-haired head to peek at Hitsugaya's work.

"Oh!" she exclaimed softly, inadvertently drawing the two captains' attention to her, and then drawing her elder brother's gaze to Hitsugaya's finished work. The Kuchiki clan head blinked at the scroll in something like deep appreciation. Hitsugaya, however, stared at her for a second, looking confused.

"Hitsugaya-san, that's beautiful!" Rukia praised, gazing at the thick paper in awe. Hitsugaya had painted a delicate lotus blossom, fully open, in a pale shade of full, fiery scarlet, and perfectly imperfect Chinese characters ran down the right side of the long scroll in two columns. The ink had faded out at exactly the right points, leaving the aesthetic of the piece fully and completely intact.

Toushiro glanced down at it, tipping their head to the side critically.

"...thank you, Kuchiki." they said, tucking a loose strand of their white hair behind one gold-toned ear.

"Which quote of Lao Tzu did you choose to script there?" Rukia asked curiously. Her brother shot her a nonplussed stare - Rukia knew how to read almost every language in the world. Her gift of communication was much stronger than it was in most other shinigami. Why was she asking?

It appeared Hitsugaya knew this too, for they gave the Kuchiki princess a flat look.

"You can read Chinese, can you not?" the icy captain said with a raised eyebrow. Rukia nodded once.

"Yes sir, but I didn't want to read over your shoulder - or so to speak." she said with a smile. "Renji sometimes makes very personal scrolls in Kuchiki-taicho's class, and he gets annoyed with me when I catch sight of them."

The ghost of a smirk passed over Toushiro's pretty face, and not for the first time that day, Rukia saw a feisty young woman with a predator's fierce jade glare sitting before her.

"I can see Abarai doing that." the young dragon said with a fierce twinkle of mirth in their gleaming emerald stare. "And I appreciate your thoughtfulness - this quote does indeed have a great deal of personal value to me. But I'm not averse to sharing, if either of you would like to read it."

Rukia's cheeks pinked with pleasure, and she lowered her gaze to Hitsugaya's scroll and read. Her expression softened, and she looked up to see that her brother's slate eyes were somewhat blanker than usual, mulling over Hitsugaya's choice of quote.

 _Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage._

"Is that why you painted a red lotus, Hitsugaya-san?" Rukia asked after a moment. **(1)** Toushiro nodded slowly.

"That's one reason." They admitted. "But the lotus blossom is Hyourinmaru's symbol, and the red lotus in particular is the flower of my Bankai. The lotus is therefore my symbol as well. It is not a secret, yet few seem to have realized that..."

Rukia looked in askance at her elder brother, who blinked at his younger colleague in shock.

"The lotus flower is the emblem of the Royal Family, Hitsugaya-taicho. The Royal Guard are the only shinigami who are permitted to claim that flower as a symbol." the stunned nobleman said blankly. Toushiro's pink lips curved up in a small smile, the expression somehow sweet and ferocious in the same moment.

"Oh, I'm well aware." they said, an unusual spark of cheer in their voice. "As the dragon is the mark of the Soul King, no? But I am an exception. I can't help the quirks of my soul, nor Hyourinmaru's little eccentricities. He claims the lotus flower, and so do I."

Suddenly the room grew cold, and a thin sheen of frost crept over Hitsugaya's soft navy kimono, spreading onto the ground. A pale layer of white, hyper-dense reiatsu gathered around Toushiro's slender frame, throwing into distinct highlight the shadow gradually deepening beneath their breasts and the sloping curve of their waistline and widening hips. Kuchiki-taicho's jaw dropped, worrying Rukia into a breathless panic, but then the flare of tightly controlled power faded, and she could breathe again.

"My god."

She lifted her head to stare at her elder brother.

"N-nii-sama...?" she asked, watching as her ever-noble brother gasped in dawning realization. The Sixth Division Captain ignored her.

"...Do you realize what you _are_? Now that Kurotsuchi has flipped your gender?" the dark-haired man breathed. Hitsugaya cocked their snow-capped head to the side, staring expressionlessly at the nobleman from underneath a soft white fringe.

"I think so." Toushiro replied, a startling amount of vulnerability present in the waver of their voice. "Hyourinmaru's already worrying over me. But I should be asking you that question."

Both Kuchikis paused, the elder of the two looking puzzled, but then Rukia was covering her mouth with her hands and squealing. She knew. They'd been talking about it at Hinamori's dinner the night before. Hitsugaya was going to spill the beans!

"H-Hitsugaya-s-san!" she squeaked out, eyes wide, and the amused captain looked at her and grinned somewhat confidently.

"Your sister has reassured me that you are friendly with Shihoin Yuushirou?" Toushiro asked calmly. Byakuya inclined his head incrementally, his expression suddenly softening somewhat in implicit understanding.

"You are also transgender?" he asked. Toushiro shook their head.

"Not yet, but it's likely." they replied peaceably. "I feel more myself now that I'm living in a girl's body. For the moment I'm considering myself gender-neutral."

Byakuya took the news surprisingly well, his expression not changing. However, his slate-grey gaze was keen, piercing with understanding.

"You feared telling me, did you not?" he asked quietly. "As the head of one of the Four Noble Houses."

Toushiro chuckled at that, the emerald of their glare blazing.

"Fear is too strong a word, Kuchiki-taicho." they replied, a hidden bitterness in their words. "But yes, I was wary. Hyourinmaru has already warned me once of the fate that befalls my kind."

Byakuya raised a thin eyebrow, but said nothing for a long minute. Then the nobleman stood and offered his fellow captain his hand in a surprisingly genteel gesture. Toushiro blinked up at him, then delicately laid their hand over top of Byakuya's own and allowed the tall noble to assist them to their feet. The Sixth Division Captain turned to his sister.

"Rukia, if you would accompany Hitsugaya-taicho and I - I wish to show them something in my study." he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And given the history of the noble clans and the royal family when it comes to certain members of the shinigami society...I think they would feel safest with a relatively neutral party acting as an escort."

Rukia stiffened, but the understanding expression that crossed Hitsugaya's tanned face made her swallow hard and move into position on Hitsugaya's right.

"Yes, Nii-sama." she said, her voice strong.

The trio exited the room in which the Kuchiki clan hosted the calligraphy lessons and Byakuya guided his colleague back towards the private part of the Kuchiki Manor with quick, urgent steps. The air was chilly - October was almost over - and both Rukia and Toushiro reveled in the cool air passing pleasantly over their skin. However, all too soon the trio arrived at Byakuya's study. Hitusgaya gazed out over the stone garden for a moment, then followed their fellow captain into the airy study, sitting down on a provided cushion in polite seiza. Rukia sat next to her newest friend, glancing their way in concern.

Byakuya perused his shelves for a long moment, then plucked an old book of records from the shelf and sat down across from his colleagues, fluttering the pages. Then he seemed to find what he was looking for.

"This is last dragon or phoenix that was brought into my clan." he said, his tone firm. "It has not happened in six hundred years - the practice was deemed immoral by the clan elders at that time. You may look and see the proof yourself."

Rukia blinked in bafflement, but Hitsugaya had gently taken the old book and was reading it, emerald eyes shining. Then the young ice-wielder let out a long sigh of relief and returned the old tome with a cordial nod.

"It is nice to know that the Kuchiki clan is as honorable as is their Head of House." Toushiro said quietly. "Thank you."

Byakuya shook his head, setting the book aside for a brief moment. His expression was one of utter concern.

"Now that you have seen the evidence of my trustworthiness, listen to me well, Hitsugaya-taicho." the stoic captain warned lowly. "I do not know the extent of your knowledge, but you must know that your freedom and the succession of Seireitei are at stake, yes?"

That caught Toushiro's attention.

"The succession?" they breathed, and Rukia felt her jaw drop. Byakuya nodded.

"Those who bear the true power of either a dragon or phoenix bear the lineage of the King of Soul Society, Hitsugaya-taicho." he said, his tone suitably hushed. "If you, as a woman, fully master your Zanpakutou, you will be considered a dragon in your own right and may challenge the current Queen and her family for the throne."

Toushiro let themself choke on air.

"What?" they exclaimed. Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"You did not know this?" the older captain asked. "It is part of the reason your fellow dragons and phoenixes are so sought after by the noble clans and the royals."

Toushiro's face tightened.

"And the other part is sheer power." they said stiffly, their expression cold. Rukia's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"Hitsugaya-san, Nii-sama what are you talking about?" she asked. Toushiro turned a pained, angered gaze on her.

"My Hyourinmaru is a dragon, Kuchiki." they said, their tone sour. "The dragon is the mark of the Soul King, and the phoenix is the mark of the Queen. Thus, the power of these Zanpakutou is many times stronger than most other Zanpakutou, and thus their wielders are targeted."

Rukia looked to her brother, who nodded in repulsed confirmation.

"It only happens to certain wielders of dragon or phoenix-Zanpakutou." the tall noble said coldly. The skin around his eyes crinkled with anger. "The gender of the wielder must oppose their Zanpakutou for this to be a danger, because only then can the full power of the Zanpakutou be properly balanced. Yamamoto-soutaicho is thus sheltered from this unfortunate fate, as was Hitsugaya-taicho. Dragons must have female wielders, and phoenixes must have male wielders for their true potential to be unlocked."

Rukia was still confused - what happened to these people?

"I don't understand." she said, her voice puzzled, and so Toushiro's upper lip snarled into a grimace.

"We're abducted, Rukia." they said, fury seething in their tone. "When I transition, I'll become a target for the nobles and royals. If I'm then overpowered and taken, Hyourinmaru's spirit will be sealed, crippling me, and I'll be forced into a marriage I don't want. If I resist even that, then there will be some who stoop to rape. After all, it's not me they want. They want to...to _breed_ Hyourinmaru's power into their families"

Rukia looked to her brother in horror, who merely closed his eyes, silently confirming the younger captain's words. The Kuchiki princess gasped.

"Oh my god." she said softly. Suddenly her brother's face creased, and he directed a curious look Hitsugaya's way.

"You said when."

Toushiro looked up, baffled by the knowing smile twitching in a ghostly manner at the corner of Kuchiki-taicho's mouth.

"Pardon?"

Rukia's violet eyes widened, and she laughed, realizing then what her brother meant.

"Hitsugaya-san, you said 'when I transition,' not 'if I transition.'" the girl said, smiling widely. Toushiro blinked.

"Dammit, I did it again." they said, chuckling quietly to themselves and running a hand through their short white pixie cut. Fidgeting somewhat and flushing a golden-rose, they slid the navy blue and silver headband from their soft white locks and then smoothed it back into place. "I'm trying to take it slow, trying not to rush into things, but...agh, I just can't help myself."

Byakuya cocked his head to the side, considering the young person before him with some mild amusement. Rukia was trying hard not to laugh at her fellow ice-wielder, and as the tall captain watched Toushiro turn a small smile onto his younger sister, he knew he had to make some stance. The elders wouldn't like it - they'd be vicious towards the budding young woman before him if they discovered it before he took a firm position on the issue. But even for all his reputed social disinterest, he could recognize the beginning of a friendship when he saw one. If Rukia was nurturing a growing friendship with the authoritative young captain, then he should do everything in his power to help that relationship along. Hitsugaya was a powerful ally and a dangerous foe, and he had a great respect for the youngest of the captains. This friendship would be very good for Rukia.

And besides, it would probably be advantageous to side with the could-be queen. If the royal family did indeed launch an attack against the youngest captain, and fell to Hyourinmaru's bite, then having a very positive history with the ascendant ruler would be a great boon. Even if he did privately consider the entire transgender aspect startlingly odd.

"So you have decided to become female, then?" he asked Toushiro blankly. The young captain paused, then shrugged.

"More or less." they said softly. "I find that I keep thinking of myself as a girl on accident. But I'm still experimenting, really, still trying to find myself."

The stern captain nodded, mulling this over in his mind, then made a decision.

"...Rukia."

His sister immediately turned to him, her smile shrinking into attentive obedience. Byakuya tipped his chin in his colleague's direction.

"I believe," he began calmly, "that you have a fitting for a new furisode this afternoon, yes?"

Rukia's eyebrows dipped together on her forehead, but she confirmed her brother's statement. Byakuya exhaled softly.

"Take Hitsugaya-taicho along with you, if they wish to go. You have several kimonos which they may enjoy trying on, and if they do indeed choose to come out as a transgender female, then it will be useful for the Kuchiki clan's seamstresses to already have their measurements on hand."

Toushiro went a bit pink in the cheeks, and they hesitantly blinked at the Kuchiki head, their expression utterly bewildered. Byakuya smiled faintly at the endearing, flustered befuddlement.

"It is tradition for every every young woman to receive a silk kimono upon reaching adulthood, is it not?" the Sixth Division Captain asked rhetorically. "If you do choose to transition fully, it would honor me if you would allow the Kuchiki House to gift you with your first furisode."

Rukia's entire face lit up like a bright beacon and she turned to Toushiro with a brilliant smile on her face. Hitsugaya was staring, mouth open, flabbergasted by the generosity they were being shown. Formal, silk kimonos - especially furisodes, considering their elaborate sleeves - were _not_ cheap, by any means. The average shinigami was barely able to afford one, and that was the price of a man's kimono, which was much less elaborate than a woman's. Hitsugaya only possessed four formal kimonos in total, complete with accompanying hakama and haori. Of course, they had never enjoyed men's kimonos quite as much - most captains were more than able to afford a decent number of kimonos, and they were no exception, so four was a relatively small number. But _still_. The fact that Kuchiki was even offering this...

"Hitsugaya-taicho?" Byakuya prompted, causing a splutter of disbelief to spill from Hitsugaya's lips.

"I...I..." they stammered, entirely at a loss for words. Then they swallowed hard. "I do not know what to say, Kuchiki-taicho..."

Rukia laughed, the gratitude in her gaze as she fixed it on her brother easily detectable. She'd been hoping that her brother would take the revelation well, but this was even more than she'd hoped for.

"My Nii-sama doesn't offer gifts he is not willing to give, Hitsugaya-san." she said with another laugh. "I would recommend that you accept."

Toushiro spluttered for another moment, but at the barely perceptible nod from Byakuya, they cracked and gave with an emotional whisper of gratitude. The Sixth Division Captain realized then just how tense the still-frail young person had been, how nervous Hitsugaya had been to reveal this weighing secret. His expression softened incrementally.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, have confidence in yourself." the taller captain advised quietly. "Those who will oppose you have not your strength, and the Kuchiki will shelter you. You should not be afraid."

Hitsugaya lifted their eyes, emerald gaze burning with something cold and fierce but also deeply fearful, a paradoxical wealth of timidity and ferocity caught in that frozen expression.

"I have already had one of my men refer to me as, and I quote, an 'obscene fag.' That was before I revealed what happened in the Twelfth Division." Hitsugaya murmured. "I fear losing my subordinates' confidence, nothing more. For years I worked to gain their respect, which was slow to come because of my size, and now I stand on the brink of losing their trust again. It's a difficult precipice to comprehend falling from, especially since I struggled so hard to climb up."

Byakuya considered this for a long moment - he knew it was a valid fear - when Rukia interrupted his train of thought.

"Those who are loyal to you will stay regardless." she snapped. "Those who are attracted to you for your power and reputation will leave if they take issue with this. You won't be losing anyone who truly matters in the long run. Stop being so scared already - you're reminding me of Ichigo before he learned how to control his Hollow!"

Toushiro's head snapped up, a layer of ice blazing in their eyes.

"Need I remind you whom you speak to, Kuchiki?" they bit out coldly, and Byakuya was about to scold his sister for speaking out so rudely, but with a flash of violet, Rukia effortlessly held her ground.

"Need I remind you who you _are_ , Hitsugaya-san?" she said, her voice heated. "You are the prodigy who graduated from Shinou Academy in seven months. You are the youngest person in the history of Soul Society to have achieved Bankai. You were the _only_ captain to suspect foul play when I was on death row, and you were the _only_ person who tried to go to Central 46 to stop everything! If your achievements are not enough to make your subordinates respect you regardless of your gender, then they don't deserve to serve under you!"

There was a brief silence, and then Byakuya raised an eyebrow at his sister and the stunned mop of white hair. Rukia flushed abruptly, realizing that she'd just shouted at a captain. A captain who she was slowly beginning to consider a friend.

"I...I apologize, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said then, bowing in their direction. A slightly sheepish laugh greeted her.

"I told you to drop the title when I'm off duty." they chided. "...besides, everyone needs sense knocked into them from time to time. I'm not Kurosaki...but I think I needed to hear that from someone. Thank you."

Byakuya relaxed somewhat, reassured that the ice-captain wasn't going to freeze his little sister solid. Then he stood up, once again helping Hitsugaya to their feet and carefully readjusting the oxygen backpack they wore. Then the nobleman took his leave of the pair with a polite nod, and Rukia escorted the young captain to the entrance to the Kuchiki Manor.

"So. That wasn't too bad, was it?" she asked, and Hitsugaya paused. They smiled faintly.

"No, it wasn't." they admitted gracefully. "...thank you for your support."

Rukia smiled and bowed halfway.

"Anytime, Hitsugaya-san." she said with a grin. "Are...are you still up for grabbing lunch?"

The young captain's emerald gaze sparkled.

"Definitely." they said with a smirk. "Then I suppose you'll have your furisode fitting..."

"Which I'll ask Matsumoto-fukutaicho to drag you to if you don't come willingly." Rukia interjected, drawing an irate look from the captain. She flinched, but the smile didn't slip off her face, and Hitsugaya's shoulders sagged in amused resignation. Inwardly, Rukia cackled with laughter. So she was also now allowed past the cold outer shell, was she?

"You'll have your furisode fitting." they continued deliberately. "And then if you'd like, you could invite yourself over to my house. I've developed an addiction to baking and now I have entirely too many cookies and brownies at home."

Rukia's violet eyes went wide.

"Oh, yes please!" she exclaimed, expression rounding out. "Chocolate is-"

"-a girl's best friend!" Hitsugaya finished with a laugh. "I know, I know."

Rukia slid her arm through the ice-captain's, her smile winking brightly, and together the pair of petite ice-wielders went off.

"Come on, Hitsugaya-san - I know of a great cafe in Rukongai that makes a mean miso soup..."

* * *

 **(1)** Internet-found - in Buddhism, a red lotus symbolizes the heart and its emotions, especially passion, love, and compassion

 **Leave your thoughts and critiques in the box, please and thank you!**


	12. A Marathon and a Meeting

**A/N: I know this is a bit late. I apologize. The most recent chapter of this was a bear to write. But anyhow. Fluff galore and STAR WARS! YAY!**

 **Side note - Karin & Toushiro have never met. Yeah. Just roll with it.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _"Thoughts"_

 _"Zanpakutou"_

* * *

Toushiro shuffled nervously outside Ichigo's door, Rukia, Matsumoto and Hinamori giggling a little ways ahead of him. Renji was also there, as was Chad, and Toushiro wouldn't be even the least bit surprised if Ikkaku showed up at some point, though apparently Yumichika was on patrol. Ikkaku showing up would be a problem, however, considering that the Third Seat was the only one in the group who didn't know of Hitsugaya's newly-developed crossdressing tendencies while in the World of the Living, nor of his gender-neutral status. Given his close friendship with Yumichika, however, it would be extremely unlikely that the battle-oriented shinigami would actually care.

Rukia knocked loudly. It was fairly early in the afternoon - around one - but Ichigo had insisted that all the shinigami make sure to take the entire weekend off. Apparently the movies were thirteen hours long put together, and they'd need some serious recovery time.

"Oi, Strawberry!" she called. "Open up!"

There was a muffled shout from inside the house, and a few minutes later the door swung open wide to reveal a scowling Ichigo. Two young teenagers stood just behind him, their eyes curiously peering at the assembled group, and with a start of realization, Hitsugaya knew that the pair of unfamiliar girls had no trouble seeing them.

"My name doesn't mean strawberry, Rukia!" he snapped, and Toushiro smirked at the annoyed expression on the carrot-top's face. They'd have to remember that nickname for later.

Rukia waved him off.

"Yeah, whatever, Ichigo." she said. "Are you going to remember your manners and invite us in, or will we have to kick you over?"

"Rukia-nee, don't hurt Onii-san!" the blond girl behind Ichigo said, leaping in front of him with childlike tears in her eyes, though she was smiling as she hugged Rukia. She and her sister were wearing casual clothes - sweatpants and t-shirts, and suddenly Toushiro wondered if they were a little overdressed. But then they felt Ichigo's gaze land on them, and a starstruck grin and deep pink blush spilled across the substitute's face.

"...oh." he said breathlessly. "Damn, Toushiro."

Hitsugaya felt their cheeks heat and a small smile spread across their face. They shuffled their feet in slight embarrassment, and without another word Ichigo held the door open for them to all pass through. Everyone was mostly silent, throwing knowing smirks in either Ichigo's or Toushiro's direction, and as Toushiro stepped through the doorway and toed off their black Converse, they felt Ichigo's warm hand settle on their shoulder.

"I knew that dress suited you. I mean...you look very nice." the substitute said awkwardly, and Toushiro felt butterflies flitter around in their stomach. They went pink again.

"...Uh...um, thank you." they said,, their voice pitched at least an octave higher than it was normally. They weren't about to admit that they'd worn the blue dress simply because they knew that Ichigo liked it. Of course, that hadn't even crossed their mind even _once_. (They hadn't stopped thinking about Ichigo's reaction)

There was a sudden cackle of laughter from the table, where Rukia and the darker-haired of Ichigo's younger sisters had headed towards the smorgasbord of junk food. The dark-haired sister had turned round and was smirking wickedly at her older brother.

"Hey, Ichi-nii. That wouldn't happen to be the 'Shira' chick you keep waxing poetic about would it? 'Cause she looks way out of your league." she asked, smirking broadly. Ichigo's face went bright crimson, and he lunged for his younger sister with a muffled roar.

"KARIN!"

Toushiro watched in shock as the carrot-topped shinigami tussled with his grinning sibling, who seemed to have no trouble kicking him repeatedly in the face and groin. They could feel a sort of lightheaded dizziness rushing through them slowly, and a slightly shy smile crept onto their pink lips. Renji looked from Ichigo to Hitsugaya in bewilderment, but Rukia, Hinamori, and Matsumoto all looked positively delighted. Even Chad seemed to be chuckling somewhat.

The young captain adjusted their oxygen backpack on their back, swinging it off their left shoulder and peering down to check the oxygen gauge carefully, hoping that the dizziness wasn't a sign that their supply was wearing thin. However, the gauge held steady at the half-way mark, and so they slipped their left arm through the straps again and followed Matsumoto over to the couch, which was arranged in front of the television with a few other armchairs and some squishy pillows. Toushiro threw down their bag of things, which also had Matsumoto's pajamas tucked away in a side pocket, then sat down lightly on the couch, curling their legs underneath their blue skirt, the geometric pattern on its surface rippling. They knew that they were blushing furiously, but at the same time, feverish thoughts were racing through their head at breakneck pace.

Ichigo talked about them at home? What did he say? Why was he even mentioning them in the first place...? Did boys usually talk about girls they liked to family members? Hitsugaya wouldn't know - they'd never been interested in gossiping about girls when they were male - but from what they remembered, it was fairly common for boys to discuss girls they liked with friends. Perhaps family would fall in the same category?

Did Ichigo's heart flutter the way theirs did?

Suddenly Toushiro felt their mouth go dry. They were wearing a light, clear lip gloss tonight; the kind of thing that would only be noticeable if someone was really looking, but suddenly they knew - just _knew_ \- that Ichigo had seen the moist shine. The orange-haired shinigami's look had been, for lack of a more accurate word, _heated._ The warmth in that handsome chocolate gaze was stunning.

The butterflies in Toushiro's stomach churned viciously, and they could feel their slender hands trembling. Slowly, they tried to calm themselves down, with little success. Inside their soul, Hyourimaru was purring in his benevolent fashion, his calmness a lifeline for his frantic shinigami.

" _Are you afraid of denying your heart, Toushiro-chan?"_ the great dragon rumbled. Toushiro slowly moved their hand to their chest, gently touching the place where their heart lay hidden beneath muscle and bone. Suddenly they gathered their courage, emerald softness in their eyes hardening to jade.

" _No."_ they replied forcefully. Their courage melted into soft determination and pliable warmth. " _I suppose this is what having a crush feels like, then?"_

Hyourinmaru rumbled with laughter.

" _Well, do you get butterflies in your stomach whenever you see Kuchiki-taicho or Ukitake or Kyoraku?"_ the wise dragon coached gently.  " _I think you are truly beginning to understand your own heart. But I think that you may need some help."_

" _...I think this calls for...oh, what did Rangiku call them, again? A 'girl meeting,' or something like that..."_

" _That may help, yes."_

Toushiro let a smile spread onto their face, and they looked up to see a confused Rukia standing in front of them with a juice box in her hands.

"Hitsugaya-san?" she asked, starting in surprise as the young crossdresser stood up and grabbed her wrist.

"Hinamori, Matsumoto, would you come with me for a second?" they called. "Kurosaki - I mean the orange-headed moron - is there someplace private I could talk to these three?"

Ichigo blinked, looking up from the DVD player. He'd just slid 'The Phantom Menace' into the slot, and Renji and Chad were sitting cross-legged on the floor with a gigantic bowl of cheese popcorn. His two sisters were still sitting at the table, snacking on the myriad forms of junk food, but as Toushiro spoke, they perked up. Ichigo's expression turned a bit worried.

"Er...what's wrong...?" he asked.

Before Toushiro could answer, the two Kurosaki girls bounced up, then ran forward, seizing Rukia, Hinamori, Matsumoto, and Toushiro by the wrists. The honey-haired Kurosaki looked over her shoulder with a brilliant and disarming smile.

"Oh, I've got this, Onii-san!" she chirped brightly, pulling the shinigami towards the stairs with a surprising amount of strength, the dark-haired sister following her. "I know _exactly_ what's wrong, and don't worry, we'll fix it really soon, okay? You go ahead and set up the movie!"

Ichigo didn't even get a chance to respond, because then the honey-haired girl was dragging Toushiro and Rukia up the steps and into her room, her twin sister close behind her. When all six of the girls were inside, the dark-haired twin shut the door and with a casual flick, locked it tightly. She grinned, then turned around, looking the startled shinigami in the face.

"First things first before this gets all gushy. I'm Karin." she smirked. "My sister is Yuzu. I know about Shira-hime over there - Ichi-nii can't shut up about her - and Rukia-nee is obvious, but you two are?"

Matsumoto and Hinamori looked at each other in shock, then quickly introduced themselves. Then Yuzu clapped her hands with a sweet smile.

"Yay!" she cheered. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

Toushiro blinked, fidgeting. They'd been forced into a chair while everyone else stood, and it made them somewhat self-conscious.

"...Uh, why?" they asked tentatively. Yuzu froze, them wagged her finger at the white-haired captain.

"I know what it means when someone drags all their girl-friends out of a room where there's a guy who's been eyeing them." Yuzu said, smiling. "You _are_ Shira, aren't you?"

Slowly, Hitsugaya shrugged.

"My name is Hitsugaya Toushiro." they said, and Yuzu and Karin's faces suddenly crinkled up in surprise at the masculine name. "But Shira does sound like something Kuro- er, your older brother - would call me."

Karin bounced down on her bed, flopping backwards.

"Are you trans?" she asked bluntly, but then her gaze dropped to Toushiro's chest, and her face screwed up in confusion. "...um, wait..."

"I am gender-questioning. Seireitei's Research and Development accidentally spilled a gender-change tonic on me. That's why I'm currently a girl." Toushiro said easily. It was getting easier to tell people the more he practiced it. He'd made the rounds among the captains before showing up, letting them each know, and he'd found that the mostly indifferent responses had substantially numbed his nerves. Only Komamura, Kyoraku and Yamamoto had showed any emotion - Komamura had groaned, shook his furry head, and warned his fellow captain to be careful, and Kyoraku had practically exploded, he'd been so happy.

Yamamoto had been trickier; the old man had initially taken the news extremely badly, even going so far as to accuse them of intentionally destabilizing Seireitei by coming up with 'such unreasonable claims.' But then the old man had calmed, seen the irrationality of his actions, gave the young captain standing shakily before him a long, unreadable look, then drawn the young dragon-wielder into an unexpected embrace. Ukitake had been entirely right - the old man had ended up quite excited over the prospect of 'an unruly young lady running about the place.' The old man had been very stern, however, much to Toushiro's surprise. They'd expected to be asked to report the news of their change in gender, if they chose to transition...but Yamamoto ordering them to get permission to _date_? What the _hell_?

But Yamamoto had been very firm. He was taking all veto power on the potential boyfriends. End of discussion. No arguments. If the Soutaicho disapproved of a boy, then Hitsugaya would not be allowed to even look at said boy.

It made Toushiro's cheeks burn just thinking about it.

"Anyway, why did you two pull us in here?" they asked, shaking the memory from their head. "I didn't expect this."

Karin and Yuzu exchanged long looks.

"Yeah, you're definitely Shira." they said in unison. Then Yuzu stepped forward.

"So anyway, I guess you need help trying to figure out if Onii-san likes you back, right?" she asked with a smile. Toushiro went pink, jaw dropping.

"How...?" They trailed off helplessly, fisting their slender hands in their skirt. Momo, Rukia, and Rangiku's eyes went wide, and they suddenly cheered, Momo quite loudly.

"Shiro-chan, why didn't you tell me?!" she squealed, jumping on her sibling. "Oh, I just _knew_ you two had the best chemistry!"

"Momo, get off!" Hitsugaya protested. "I only just sorted it out!"

Rangiku was dancing around in a show of glee in the corner of the room, and Toushiro turned to her next with a scowling pout.

"Matsumoto, cut it out!" they sulked. "Fine, I was coming to ask you for advice. Happy?"

Rukia and the Kurosaki twins laughed.

"Very!" Rukia said brightly. "Hitsugaya-san, you don't really need to do anything at this point. Ichigo's had a crush on you ever since the Winter War ended. It's part of the reason he and Chad broke up - both of them had crushes on other people, and they preferred their friendship anyway."

Toushiro's golden face went even pinker, and they shifted uncomfortably. The Winter War had ended nearly a year ago. Yuzu jumped and down, smiling brightly.

"Oh yay, yay, yay!" she danced around. "This is so perfect! Rukia-nee, you can take over pestering Onii-san, right?"

Rukia winked at her fellow ice-wielder.

"What do you think I've been doing?" she asked with a wide smile. "Chad and I have been trying to wear away at Ichigo's reservations for a while now. But now that I know the feelings are mutual, he won't stand a chance!"

Hitsugaya flushed in embarrassment and averted their eyes, fidgeting nervously and toying with the clear tube around their face. Matsumoto's expression softened.

"Taicho, you don't have to rush into this." she reminded them gently. "You don't have to be anything more than friends with Ichigo if you don't want to be."

Toushiro sent a derisive though fond look their lieutenant's way.

"I think I've felt this way about Kurosaki for a while." they said quietly. "But...I don't know. There's a lot more to this than you realize. Kuchiki knows most of it already, though I don't think she realizes the implications..."

Rukia raised an eyebrow, then remembered. Her eyes grew large.

"Oh. Oh, you're right." she whispered. "But that's only if you fully transition, right?"

Toushiro shrugged despondently.

"I have no idea. Biologically, I can carry children at this point in time, which may be the only thing that the royal family is waiting for." they said anxiously. "If that's the case, I don't want to put Ichigo in danger like I did in District 44 - don't argue with me, Matsumoto, that Adjuchas was my responsibility - but I...I get this fluttery feeling whenever I'm around Ichigo. And I...I don't know. It's so confusing."

Rukia's lips pressed together into a thin line, but before she could say anything, Momo batted her sibling on the head with a frown.

"Shiro-chan, Ichigo defeated Aizen." she reminded the white-haired captain with a frown. "And his strength hasn't decreased any since then. And you've only kept growing more powerful since the Winter War. He can handle danger, and so can you. Besides, if you two do end up dating each other, you'll have the other person to rely on, and I think the oxygen you're using proves beyond any reasonable doubt that you'd sacrifice yourself to keep Kurosaki-san safe. And he chose to defend Seireitei against Aizen despite the fact that he's still half-human and has no responsibility to us."

Hitsugaya looked up, rubbing the crown of their white head ruefully. A slightly sheepish expression flickered over their face. Rukia pounced on it, her face set in stubborn belief.

"Come on, Hitsugaya." she said. "Go with it! Ichigo likes you, you seem to return his feelings, and the two of you together are powerful enough to take on most of the Seireitei. What are you worried about?"

Toushiro ducked their head, blushing faintly, and suddenly Matsumoto intervened, her voice gentle.

"Taicho..." she sighed. "Fear doesn't become you, you know."

"...I know." the young captain murmured. "...I can't help it. This is different than facing down an Espada or ten."

The shinigami laughed at that, understanding precisely what the blue-clad captain meant, and said captain lifted their head, a slight smirk darting across their face. For a moment their confidence seemed to return.

"Rukia, you said that Ichigo...well, that he _likes_ me, right?" they asked. Rukia blinked, a slow smile spreading across her porcelain face as she heard her given name slip from the ice-captain's tongue.

"Oh, most definitely." she replied. "Right, Karin, Yuzu?"

The twins nodded, Karin with a roll of her eyes, Yuzu with a ebullient smile. Matsumoto and Hinamori exchanged long looks, and then the older woman knelt down in front of her captain, taking their softened chin in her hand. She could still remember the chiseled slant of her captain's jaw before Kurotsuchi had accidentally turned them female, and the curving slope of the cool jawline felt unfamiliar in her hands. Matsumoto gazed up into the green depths with unusual wisdom.

"Toushiro." she said their name tenderly. "I know how careful you are with your heart. But you can't close yourself off for the rest of your life. You're becoming a young woman - thanks to Kurotsuchi - and regardless of whether you choose to be transgender or not, all young people go through relationships, good and bad."

Hitsugaya looked at her, the soft white of their lengthening pixie-cut/bob tickling gently against the sides of their pretty face.

"You think I should try it?" they asked plaintively, looking around the entire room, uncharacteristically nervous. For a few moments, there was silence, and then Rukia spoke up, her voice firm.

"I think you should be the fearless Hitsugaya-taicho we all know and admire." she said firmly. "It's who you are. Act with confidence! You are who you are, and your heart is your own! I've said it before, and I'll say it again - those who are loyal to you will stay with you no matter the cost. Even if by some freak accident Ichigo was actually thick enough to reject your feelings, keep your courage! We'll be here for you if everything goes badly, and you _know_ our opinion of you won't change."

Hitsugaya gaped for a long, silent minute, then shook their head wistfully, a smirk crossing their face.

"Kuchiki, you've grown entirely too comfortable around me for my tastes." They said with a lopsided grin. Rukia rolled her eyes, blushing faintly.

"You and Ichigo are more alike than you think." she said, looking anywhere but the amused captain's face. "You both internalize too much, and you're both thick-headed. It takes a figurative sledgehammer to get _anything_ through Ichigo's skull when he's actively trying to ignore it - you seem to be the same. Less bull-headed maybe, and more receptive to criticism."

Toushiro flicked their fingers, releasing the barest wisp of their icy-bluewhite reiatsu, and without warning the entire room was sheathed in thick, glassy ice. The ice-captain tried not to be surprised at the sheer amount of ice that had formed at the pinprick of reiatsu they'd unleashed, and melted the crystalline ice in the next instant. All five of the girls stared at them, the lieutenants and Rukia more so.

"More receptive to criticism? Are you sure?" Hitsugaya asked playfully, emerald gaze flashing, ice crystals clinging to strands of the white hair, sparkling like diamonds. Hinamori shuddered at the wicked expression on her sibling's face, and even Matsumoto looked a bit nervous, but Rukia held her ground with a spreading grin.

"Yes." she said certainly. "I don't have to kick you to get you to see my point."

Toushiro burst into laughter at the offhand comment, smiling, and Rukia grinned more widely at them. Then the Kuchiki princess walked over to the door and unlocked and opened it, jerking her head at the opening.

"Alright." she said with a grin. "Go for it while you're still smiling. We're right behind you."

Hitsugaya swallowed hard, then stood up and strode confidently out of the Kurosaki twins' room and descended the staircase with light footsteps, the butterflies in their stomach churning up a pleasant storm. Hinamori was right behind them, her encouraging giggles sending a tingle of familiar courage to the cool heart. Hyourinmaru roared thunderous approval in their chest, the icy drake's strength buoying his master effortlessly into the glow cast by the TV screen. The movie's menu screen glowed brightly in the dim room, revealing that Ichigo had sat down on the couch, leaning against the armrest with a remote in his hand, his other arm thrown over the back of the couch. He looked up as the girls came back in.

"Ready to start the movie?" he asked, his gaze seeking out Hitsugaya's. Karin and Yuzu bounced down the stairs cheerfully, one with a wicked look in her grey eyes. Quickly, they ran around to plop themselves down in front of the TV, dragging Hinamori and Rukia with them, as they snatched a few large bags of chips on their way to the floor. They sat next to Chad and Renji, and quickly started sharing the popcorn and chips easily. Matsumoto made herself comfortable on the other end of the couch, leaving a decently-sized space in between her and Ichigo. She winked.

Toushiro felt their brief confidence wane into schoolgirl nerves, but with a sudden, inexplicable whirl of beautiful warmth they laughed softly and sat down confidently next to the orange-haired shinigami substitute, leaning back into the warm cushions just beneath where the strong arm was thrown over the back of the couch. Their oxygen backpack was set on their other side and out of the way.

"Only if you're ready to _get a move on_." they quipped lightly, their voice laced with a sarcastic double-meaning. Ichigo blinked, then with a sheepish grin, started the movie, and as the colors and characters played out on the screen, Toushiro felt their heart slowly sink. Perhaps it had been too subtle a hint? But then the storyline started to draw in their attention, and they were hooked.

It wasn't until the credits of the first movie were rolling across the screen over two hours later that Toushiro realized what Ichigo had done. They glanced carefully at the large, warm arm wrapped protectively over their shoulders, and as Karin ejected the movie disk, and with a unladylike snarl in Renji's direction to ' _get your gross hands out of the Pringles, pineapple-head'_ inserted the second Star Wars film, Toushiro came to a conclusion. They blushed fiercely, heart pounding in their ears, and as the words began to stream across the screen, they leaned back against Ichigo's firm chest, relaxing into the touch. With a soft hum of contentment, the ice-captain let their head rest on Ichigo's warm collarbone. The substitute froze, then whispered.

"Toushiro...?" he murmured into the smaller shinigami's ear. Hitsugaya shifted against him.

"It was my move." they whispered back, the emerald of their eyes reflecting the glow of the characters on screen and a certain nervous bravery, a sarcastic, floundering affection. Looking down at the crown of soft white hair nestled on his shoulder, beneath his chin, Ichigo couldn't help but smile, and he cradled the petite captain all the more gently for that soft admission. The two watched the remainder of the Star Wars movies in this fashion, Toushiro cuddled close to the orange-haired teenager, and as the night waned into the early hours of the morning and the sixth movie began to draw to a close, both Ichigo and Toushiro drifted off into sleep.

* * *

 **Well? Well? Was it terrible? Was anyone OOC? Is it too totally obvious that I don't understand romance? Please take pity on my bafflement and review!**


	13. Pancake Breakfast

**A/N: So this is late. O_O' I apologize - recently life's been a mess. But here's a chapter of fluff to make up for the lateness! Also, the most recent chapter I've written was a beast to write. It involves a few SUPER MAJOR plot points... :S**

 **Anyhoo, enjoy!**

* * *

Toushiro woke to the sound of bacon frying and the steady beating of a soft drum beneath their ear. For a long minute, they were content to remain perfectly still. They felt warm all over, and were more comfortable then they'd been in a long time, and the rhythmic beat beneath their ear was lulling them back to sleep. It was Sunday morning, Toushiro recalled lazily, eyes still closed. No reason that they couldn't sleep in.

But then the warm pillow they'd been using moved unexpectedly, and the memories of last night's movie marathon and ensuing cuddle session came rushing back.

Emerald eyes flickered open in surprise. An expanse of dark red before them in the exact shade of maroon that Ichigo's shirt had been yesterday greeted their immediate vision, and beyond that the TV, now dark and silent, could be seen. Toushiro froze up in disbelief. Had they fallen asleep on Ichigo last night?

The sudden lack of movement must have been palpable, because suddenly a sleepy hand drifted down from their shoulders and looped groggily around their waist.

"...mornin' Shira." Ichigo slurred, his voice sluggish but distinctly happy.

Well, that answered their question.

Toushiro closed their eyes, trying to figure out what to do. They could feel their face blazing with heat, but just remaining silent wouldn't be proper either...and then Rukia's fierce words from last night drifted through his mind, accompanied by the Lao Tzu quote they'd carefully scripted onto a scroll in Kuchiki-taicho's class the other day.

 _Act with confidence! You are who you are, and your heart is your own!_

 _Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage._

 _Loving someone deeply gives you courage._

"...morning, Strawberry." Toushiro muttered, embarrassed by the closeness of the embrace, their gold-toned skin flushing pink. Ichigo blinked to full awareness, then looked down at the delicate little dragon cuddled against his chest. His lips quirked, and he let out a groan.

"My name doesn't mean strawberry." he complained, though the smile was clearly audible in his voice.

Slowly, Toushiro sat up, stretching out the kinks in their back and yawning tiredly. The blanket that had been pulled over the pair fell from their shoulders.

"Moron." they said absentmindedly, and Ichigo's expression took a turn for the confused.

"...Toushiro? You okay?" he asked in concern, sitting up as well and placing a bit of distance between himself and the ice-taicho in an attempt to make the obviously-embarrassed captain more comfortable. Toushiro looked up, then ran their fingers through their hair and sighed.

"Fine...just...I don't know." they let out finally, sighing again in the same absentminded way. "...you're an attractive pillow, dammit."

Ichigo's cheeks reddened, and then after a brief staring contest of increasing incredulity, both Ichigo and Toushiro began chuckling. The taller shinigami reached out and took the small hand in his.

"And you're a freakin' gorgeous teddy bear." the substitute returned with a grin, brushing his fingers over the slender knuckles. "...What's the last thing you can remember from the movie?"

Toushiro shrugged.

"Er...I think Luke was on the Death Star, watching all of his friends get outmaneuvered by the Imperial Fleet and fighting Vader." the white-haired teenager said, rearranging their wrinkled blue dress around them. Ichigo pouted.

"Aw, you fell asleep after me!" the substitute complained. "I passed out around the time when Leia met the Ewoks."

"And you called _me_ a teddy bear." Toushiro snorted then, and Ichigo started laughing for the second time. Toushiro flashed the tall almost-adult a shy smile. Then the oxygen bag sitting by Toushiro's thigh started to emit a high-pitched beeping, and the pair glanced down at the gauge to see that the current canister was dangerously low on oxygen. Ichigo paled a bit, worried, but Toushiro just sighed, picked up the backpack, and picked their way over the scattered sleeping bags and pillows that littered the floor from where all of the shinigami and Chad had slept. They knelt down by their bag and rummaged through it for a few moments, looking for a spare canister of concentrated oxygen.

It took a few moments, but after searching through the bag with increasingly frantic movements, Toushiro sat back on their heels empty hands, chewing their lower lip in distress.

"I forgot to pack a spare." they said. Ichigo paled.

"How bad is it if you run out?" he asked anxiously, kicking the already-crumpled blanket from around his ankles and standing up, crossing over to the kneeling captain. Toushiro looked at him with all the tautness of unhappiness in his gaze.

"Not terrible." They admitted. "But my stamina without the support has gone to shit. I'm not going to be able to run around much. The only real danger is that Unohana's probably going to kill me. I'm not supposed to be off the oxygen until next week - that's when I can start training again."

Ichigo sat down next to the smaller shinigami, looking guilty.

"...I'm sorry." He said. "This is my fault..."

Toushiro slapped him across the face, steel in that emerald stare. The hit wasn't terribly hard, as Hitsugaya hadn't intended for the blow to be too painful - it only smarted faintly.

"I'm not helpless, Kurosaki." they snapped, anger blazing in their eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I wanted to protect you. Get over it already."

Ichigo rubbed his cheek ruefully, staring at the snow-capped teenager before him in starstruck incredulity. Then he sighed and smiled.

"Alright." he agreed. "Do you want breakfast? Yuzu agreed to cook this morning. And if Dad gets back from his conference before you guys leave, I'll ask him for another oxygen canister for you."

Toushiro felt their anger fade away at the sight of Ichigo's warm grin, and they melted into quiet puddles of pliable mush, their insides suddenly convulsing uncomfortably. The butterflies had grown overnight into giant birds, twisting their stomach into knots, and with a shy nod, the ice-captain allowed Ichigo to help them to their feet.

The two walked around the back of the couch to the empty, though fully set, table, and the honey-haired girl manning the kitchen looked back at the two and smiled widely as they sat down next to each other.

"Good morining, Onii-san, Toushiro-chan!" she said, expertly flipping three pancakes in quick succession. "Everyone else is upstairs cleaning themselves up - you two can go do that after breakfast."

Ichigo nodded cordially to his little sister, his orange head bobbing.

"Okay. Thanks, Yuzu." he said. She giggled.

"Did you two sleep well?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows knowingly at a blushing Hitsugaya. "You looked mighty comfortable, all cuddled up together like you were."

Toushiro's face turned red, but before he could speak, Ichigo did.

"Obviously." Ichigo said with subtle scowl. "You _know_ how grumpy I usually am in the mornings, Yuzu."

Yuzu giggled again, sliding several floppy, golden-brown circles onto a plate in a tall stack. Her brown eyes sparkled.

"Oh, it's almost noon." she replied. "The others woke up a little before you and went upstairs to change though, so don't worry. You get the piping-hot pancakes."

She set the plate down between them with a bright grin and shoveled two of the pancakes onto each plate.

"Enjoy!" she chirped then bounced back into the kitchen with a smile and continued cooking breakfast. Ichigo grinned and poured thick dark brown syrup all over his pancakes, then passed the bottle to Toushiro with a smile.

"Kurosaki, what is this?" Hitsugaya asked flatly. Ichigo shrugged.

"Maple syrup." he replied. "It's sweet - goes on top of your pancakes. You don't have to try it if you don't want to, but I think it's delicious."

Hitsugaya inspected the sticky liquid critically, then shrugged and dumped some on their pancakes as well.

"Might as well try some." they said, flipping the cap back on and setting the bottle down. Slowly, they cut off a piece of the pancake, and after a dubious glance Ichigo's way (who by this point looked something like a chipmunk) they took a bite out of the syrup-drizzled creation. Ichigo laughed at the sudden expression of shock on Toushiro's pretty face.

"Oh my god, that's like eating _sugar cubes_." Toushiro said, staring down at the pancakes in incredulity. Ichigo laughed again, choked, then started coughing, still smiling down at the petite shinigami. Toushiro kept staring at their plate.

"...How do you _like_ this?" Toushiro asked, then paused. " _..._ How do _I_ like this?"

And just like that, they were devouring the pancakes on their plate like their life depended on it, their small, socked feet kicking aimlessly in the elated sugar-joy that always seemed to accompany the taste of sweet things. Ichigo felt his heart skitter to a pounding silence in his chest, his lips and tongue suddenly going dry. Seeing Toushiro sit there like that with the twitching smile on their gold-toned face, the full reality of the warmth in his chest was hitting home, the full realization of what Toushiro's actions last night had meant. The captain had sat down next to him. Allowed him to put an arm around their lithe shoulders. And then they'd leaned into his touch, resting their head on his collarbone as if they were entirely unaware of their unspoken admission in that simple movement. And finally, they'd fallen asleep still snuggled together on the couch. Hitsugaya had _let_ that happen.

This beautiful winter princess had melted for him.

"Go out with me." Ichigo breathed. Toushiro froze, blushed.

"...what?" they squeaked out around the mouthful of pancake, and Ichigo felt his blood pounding in his ears.

"Next Friday?" he said, his mouth going dry. "I'll...I'll take you out for dinner?"

Toushiro's eyes grew to be as big as saucers. The young captain looked to be just about a small sixteen, and though the soft curves flourishing under their clothes would quickly dissuade anyone from seeing the young shinigami captain as a child, it was undeniable in that moment just how childlike the white-haired person looked. The soft lips parted in surprise, emerald stare shimmering with all sorts of nameless emotions, the soft shag of arctic locks kissing the sweet golden cheeks with snow.

But then a dazed smile spread across the beautifully blushing face, and Toushiro nodded.

"I...Okay." they said. "...Just as long as you know that I could go either way with this whole gender-neutral thing..."

"I told you, I'm bi." Ichigo cut in with an equally dazed grin. "And you were pretty drop-dead gorgeous as a boy, so don't sweat it."

Toushiro paused, then nodded again. Then they laughed faintly.

"What time?" they asked somewhat shyly, the golden-rose of their cheeks glowing.

"Oh, uh...how does a 7:00 reservation sound to you?" Ichigo asked. "I'll come through the Senkaimon to pick you up at 6:30, we can stop by Urahara's to get your gigai, and then head to the restaurant from there."

Toushiro hummed, eating the last bites of their pancake.

"I can handle that." they said. "...thank you, Ichigo."

The carrot-top blinked.

"For what?"

Toushiro swallowed and put down their fork.

"For just being you." they said, suddenly frowning down at their plate. "You're accepting, kind, protective to a fault, brave enough to be openly bisexual, goddamn _stubborn_..."

Ichigo laughed at the last one, then hit upon an important idea and nodded, mentally confirming it.

"Then I suppose I should thank _you_ as well." Ichigo said firmly. "Because you're not afraid to come out of the closet you've been hiding in. Because you're brave and serious and sarcastic and ferocious and shy all rolled up into one icy snowball. Because you're _you_ , you're Hitsugaya Toushiro, and you're not afraid of that."

Toushiro lifted their head with a smile, and without another word spoken, they buried their face in Ichigo's collarbone, arms wrapping around the orange-haired boy's strong neck. And like clockwork, Ichigo's arms wrapped around the smaller shingami's shifting waist, holding them close with all the gentleness of a lover.

Then the shorter of the two looked up with a wicked, playful expression on their face.

"Should we catch the little rats now?"

* * *

Watching the couple embrace from where they were spying on the stairs, it was all the girls could do not to break out into cheers of happiness - Karin excluded, though she was grinning wickedly. Renji and Chad watched from around the girls' shoulders. Chad was smiling his enigmatic smile. Renji was gaping.

With strangled squeal, Rukia started to bounce in place.

"Oh my god, Ichigo _asked!_ He _finally_ asked Hitsugaya-taicho out!" she shrieked quietly, her voice muffled by her hands, which were clamped firmly over her mouth. Hinamori was in a likewise state of glee.

"Shiro-chan has a _boyfriend!_ " Momo squealed, her voice also strangled into almost-silence. "My bitty sibling has a _boyfriend!_ Aiee, I'm going to explode!"

Matsumoto giggled behind a hand.

"Momo-chan, don't!" she whispered, and as one, everyone drew their heads back out of sight. "Taicho wouldn't want us to make a big deal out this!"

"Damn straight I wouldn't."

The gaggle of shinigami on the stairs screamed in fright at the sound of Toushiro's cold voice sounding from the top of the staircase, whirling around to find a very-unamused Captain of the Tenth Division standing there with their arms crossed over their growing chest. Matsumoto sweatdropped.

"Oh, Taicho, you don't have to be so annoyed!" she pleaded. "We're just-"

"Going to explode, perhaps?"

Ichigo's voice came from the base of the stairs, and though his tone was significantly warmer than Hitsugaya's, his expression was pulled into an annoyed scowl. Hinamori 'eeped' in despair. Rukia blanched, as did Renji.

"Ichigo, I've been trying to cajole you into this for weeks now!" Rukia whined. "I'm allowed to see how it turns out!"

"Oh are you, Kuchiki?" Hitsugaya asked mildly, but ice was spreading from their fingertips and up the wall in silent threat. Rukia went pale, as did Hinamori, and Matsumoto bounced forward.

"Ichigo-kun, save me from my captain!" she whimpered, but Ichigo's Hollow-half was beginning to flicker over his face and body, and one of his eyes turned bright gold.

"And risk the frostbite? No thanks." Ichigo said, voice echoing, and with a glare the two captain-class fighters descended in full wrath on the lieutenants and Rukia.

Karin and Chad watched from outside the confusion in silent amusement, having managed to slip away before Hitsugaya or Ichigo had arrived, and they sat on the couch, smirking.

There was nothing like watching shinigami beat the hell out of each other for entertainment.

* * *

 **Please leave me your thoughts in the box below! :D**


	14. Reflection (Reprise)

**A/N: I know, I know. Kill me for being late after this story is over... O_O'**

 **Anyhow. Pronouns. Important. 'Nuff said. ;)**

* * *

The cool metal circle felt pleasant on their naked back, and though the blush on their face was utterly obvious they remained perfectly still, waiting for Unohana to finish their checkup. Unohana listened to her patient's heartbeat carefully, then shifted the pad of her stethoscope and chose to listen to the lung Hitsugaya had injured. She considered the rhythm of their breathing for several long minutes, her lips pressed together in a contemplative line. The two were safely sequestered away in a private examination room, the door securely latched - though not locked - to prevent unwanted visitors from entering at inopportune times.

After several minutes, however, Unohana smiled and helped Toushiro remove the nasal cannula from their face.

"Congratulations, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said with a warm smile. "You're fully healed and officially cleared for active duty."

Toushiro's smirking relief made Unohana smile again, but the expression wasn't completely pleasant.

"However, I would like to take this opportunity to further speak with you, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "It has been a month since you became pubescent, and I think it's high time that you start wearing a bra instead of binding your chest as you have been doing."

Toushiro frowned.

"Why?" they asked. "I'm still growing, if your estimates are correct. I'd just grow out of whatever I bought..."

Unohana nodded in understanding, her expression gentle.

"That's correct." she said. "However, from this point on, I do not believe merely binding your chest will give you enough support. Camisoles will not work either - you have outgrown them. Your hips are widening as well. I wouldn't be surprised at all if you started your period before January. You're growing faster than I initially believed you would."

Toushiro gaped in disbelief, then ran their fingers through their white hair, inadvertently spiking the lengthening wintry locks up into some semblance of their old hairstyle. Unfortunately, this no longer hid their steadily-increasing femininity. It was increasingly obvious to all who came across the young ice-captain that they were physically female. For a long moment, Unohana simply looked at the young captain. Their curved frame was clearly evident now, and they had grown several inches since their last check-up, their legs bearing the brunt of that growth spurt. Hitsugaya was still small - barely four-foot ten for the time being - but their hourglass figure was starting to become very pronounced.

They were maturing into a curvy little woman, and it tugged at Unohana's heartstrings more than she'd like to admit.

Without any further ado, the healer passed Hitsugaya their clothes and waited while they got dressed in their uniform and haori. Unohana had sent Isane off to retrieve a uniform in Hitsugaya's size just a few hours earlier, and the Tenth's tailor had been instructed to resize Hitsugaya's haoris, which had been done with characteristic efficiency, so the clothes fit perfectly.

After the ice-princess had gotten dressed, they looked at themselves in the mirror with some disbelief, staring at the way the flaring hakama hugged their hips and the kosode's loose top clearly showed the swell of their chest. Even though the haori they wore over their shihakusho was billowy, it was also subject to revealing the slightest of curves at their waist.

"I look like a woman now." they said, their tone flat. Unohana nodded in agreement.

"You cannot hide this, I don't think." she said gently. Toushiro shrugged, sighing.

"It's alright - my division already knows, so the rest of Seireitei probably does too." they replied offhandedly. A slight smile twitched at the corner of their lips. "You know, if I look like this, I might as well go all out. Maybe I'll pull a Soifon and wear an obi over my haori. A light blue one - that would be pretty."

Unohana chuckled lightly at the idea, her face smoothing into one of kindness.

"Should I take that to mean that you are officially female?" she asked. "Or are you still trying new things out?"

Toushiro flinched somewhat.

"...It's too dangerous for me to declare myself female, Unohana-taicho." they said seriously, and the bitter expression on the young captain's face made Unohana listen more than anything. "As a female wielder of a dragon-Zanpakutou, I am a prime target for the noble houses and the Royal Family. I must first master my Bankai before I reveal myself. Only then will I be able to defend myself."

Unohana's dark blue stare slid shut in understanding, and the woman took a deep breath. This she had not heard of before, but Hitsugaya was rarely wrong.

"Would you like me to search the Daireishokai for anything that can help you?" she asked. Toushiro nodded after a long pause. They seemed distinctly nervous.

"...I do not want to drag you into this, Unohana-taicho." Hitsugaya said seriously. "But if you wish to help me...the best place to start would be to look for instances where shinigami challenged the Soul King's right to rule."

Unohana's eyes flew wide, and her lips thinned.

"Why are you asking me to research acts of treason, Hitsugaya-taicho?" she asked. Toushiro shifted.

"According to Kuchiki-taicho and Hyourinmaru, wielders of dragon and phoenix Zanpakutou bear the blood of the King." the young ice-wielder said quietly. "Therefore, I would be permitted to challenge for the throne, should it be necessary. Other wielders of dragons and phoenixes are given this same right. The easiest way to gain useful information would be to look for instances in the past where this has happened."

Unohana relaxed visibly at the explanation, but still looked distinctly concerned, and Hitsugaya took that as their cue to leave. But before they reached the door, Unohana spoke again.

"...will you challenge the Soul King?" she asked quietly. Toushiro froze, their fingers twitching.

"...yes." They replied quietly. "Eventually. Not now. Perhaps not in a thousand years. Perhaps never, if my goals an be achieved peacefully. But I must eventually act. Too much wrong has the Royal Family done to my kin for me to sit silent."

Toushiro turned, the light of cold rage gleaming beautifully frigid in the jewel-like emerald glare.

"Too many of my fellow dragons and phoenixes were abducted." they hissed. "Too many of my soul's kin were forced to marry. Too many were raped. Too many had their Zanpakutou sealed away, forever parted from them. And for what? To _breed_ the power of the royal Zanpakutou into the waning bloodlines!"

Hitsugaya's breathing was heavy, their anger so helplessly reflected on their face that at once Unohana felt her thoughts of horror fade. The young captain before her was not committing treason - they were trying to protect a portion of the people that had been brutalized. And they themselves lay under that same threat. Unohana's expression softened.

"You are afraid." she stated. And Hitsugaya shook.

"Yes." they said. "I am afraid to lose my freedom. I am afraid to admit to my inner self. I fear failure. But above all, I am a dragon, and though I am afraid, I am angry. I am determined. And I _will_ avenge those who were abused for the power of their Zanpakutou, or I will die trying."

The ferocity on Toushiro's gold-tanned face was wrath incarnate, the simmering slow anger of a bloodthirsty, angered dragon blazing through the cold exterior. The room suddenly dropped in temperature, a vicious winter wind rolling through the entirety of the Fourth Division, and within seconds the room was sheathed in thick ice. Unohana's eyes widened. Toushiro's curvy figure was shimmering - not glowing, _shimmering_ , as if liquid power was condensing on her skin - with bluewhite reiatsu, and Unohana could feel her breath catch in her chest at the sheer amount of reiatsu that the young captain was emitting unconsciously. She could feel the pressure weighing heavily on her shoulders, trying to press her into the floor, and the Fourth Division Captain stared. The air around Toushiro was thick and soupy, frozen by the extreme cold the ice-wraith was allowing to rage loose.

Since when had Hitsugaya been able to pressure captains with reiatsu alone? To date, only Yamamoto and perhaps Aizen had done the same!

"...Hitsugaya-taicho." Unohana murmured, and her simple call broke the blooming young woman from their dark thoughts. The pressure evaporated, the ice melted, and the Fourth became warm once again. Toushiro blinked at her, but for some reason, the ice-captain didn't appear surprised in the slightest.

"I'm sorry." the Tenth Division Captain apologized softly, the corners of their lips curling in a cruel smile. "It's hard to fully control when I'm angry."

Unohana regarded the young woman before her with something like wary worry.

"...that will draw unwanted attention to you, Hitsugaya-taicho." she replied quietly. "You must be careful from now on. I will keep your secrets, but I can do nothing to protect you if you are discovered. In the meantime, I will make it more obvious that I am pressuring Kurotsuchi to concoct the antidote to the potion used to turn you female. It should draw attention away from you."

Toushiro nodded in understanding, their jaw set.

"Thank you, and I would ask you not to jeopardize yourself." they replied. "I alone will suffer the consequences if I fail."

And then they were gone in a swirl of white and black, leaving Unohana alone to contemplate her younger colleague's plight.

Hitsugaya Shunpoed across Seireitei, their feet tapping lightly on rooftops. Hyourinmaru hummed dangerously on their back, the ice dragon soaring restlessly through the storm-laced skies of Hitsugaya's inner world. It felt positively wonderful to rush through the Seireitei's skies again, and the bitter November air was like heaven on Toushiro's warm golden skin.

The young captain came to a screeching halt on their front porch, the wooden slats providing a neat source of friction, and without any further thought the young captain disappeared inside. Toushiro flitted lightly into their bedroom, opening up their wardrobe and pulling a long, silken ribbon from their closet. It was originally meant as a scarf of the same caliber as Kuchiki-taicho's scarf (though he'd abandoned it now in favor of his fancy new haori), but it would work perfectly for what Toushiro had in mind.

An odd grin touched the edges of their lips as they pulled the chain which bound Hyourinmaru to their back over their head and slid the clasps from Hyourinmaru's icy sheath. Then, with dexterity Toushiro hadn't thought previously possible, they wrapped the wide length of pale-blue silk around their waist and tied the wide ribbon into a pretty knot in the back. The loops of the bow hung down somewhat, as did the tails of the wide blue obi, and with smirk of satisfaction, Hitsugaya slid Hyourinmaru's sheath under the frosty blue sash and practiced drawing the blade. The slight increase in the length of their arms made all the difference - the sheath was now able to stay mostly intact. Only the portion of the sheath which protruded from the top of their obi had to be cut through in order for the captain to draw their blade.

Perfect

They smoothed their hair down into the short white pixie-bob that Matsumoto had styled for them and slid a pale blue headband into their white hair, smiling at themselves in the mirror. A pretty young woman stared back at them, her waist and flaring hips highlighted by the obi wrapped tightly around her midriff. She was smiling, the expression melting her calm, keen exterior into something hesitantly beautiful yet utterly touchable, and there was a flickering spark of brilliant life in the jade gaze that Toushiro hadn't previously seen in those eyes.

Toushiro reached out and absently touched the reflection of what they'd become, then felt tears prick under their eyelids. They ducked their head, open palms clenching into fists, the tears of relief slowly trickling down the sun-kissed cheeks.

They felt so _whole_. Looking at their reflection and seeing a kick-ass girl staring back at them felt so _right._ Why had they been _killing_ this young woman for so long? Why had they let this beautiful girl _suffocate_ in a boy's body? Who cared what people thought?

Toushiro lifted their head.

"...you need a name." they whispered to their reflection. "You need your own name."

The reflection said nothing, but then again, why would it? Its original was already deliberating, her thoughts spinning about her white head in a whirlwind of icy intellect.

"I'll come up with something." Hitsugaya decided, staring at her reflection with ice in her emerald glare. "I like my current name...so maybe something that sounds similar? It would be easier for people to get used to, I suppose."

Toushiro thought for a little while longer, then shook herself out of her thoughts and sighed.

"I'll have time for this later." she told herself firmly, then spun on her heel and shot towards her office in a rush of winter wind. She had paperwork to finish and a Bankai to master. And then she had a corrupt monarchy to topple. But for the moment, she needed Matsumoto, Hinamori, or Kuchiki Rukia to help her.

After all, she didn't know how to buy female undergarments - how did sizes work?

The white-haired young woman raced to her office, unable to contain the growing elation on her face. She was finally a _she_ , she had a date coming up in two days, and she had a network of supportive friends that she'd never thought she would have before. She was hale, whole, and happy. She was herself, for the first time in her life.

Hyourinmaru's joy coursed through her soul like a brilliant, cold river as she slid the door open. The room was dark, her office spotless. Ukitake and Kyoraku had kindly agreed to take over her paperwork while she was banned from her office - much to her relief. Matsumoto was nowhere to be found, but belatedly Hitsugaya realized that it was the training day that the buxom lieutenant held once a month for the rookie shinigami. Her first turn with the newbies was coming up in December, exactly eight months after the graduates' first entrance into the Tenth Division. For most of them, it would only be the second time that they would come face-to-face with their captain. She'd welcomed them into the division with a brusque speech in May - when she'd still been a he - and had little direct contact with them since.

Comforting the newbies was Matsumoto's job. She was the kind one, the one they were supposed to like. Hitsugaya, on the other hand...

Toushiro suppressed a wicked smirk at the thought. She was the scary one, the one the newbies were supposed to fear. They'd learn to love her later, after she saved their lives. But the initial scare was always fun.

Toushiro left the office with a sigh and headed towards the Thirteenth Division, intent on finding Rukia. Hinamori was probably doing Hirako-taicho's paperwork - the Vizard had run into a nasty Hollow while on patrol in the 74th District two days ago, and his ribs were pretty sore. So to Rukia it was. Hopefully she'd be able to help out.

The youngest of the captains bounced lightly onto the top of Ukitake's office building, searching out the sickly captain's and Rukia's reiatsu. She found them both in a far corner of the Division surrounded by several of the other seated officers, judging by the strength of the reiatsu, and oddly enough, Kuchiki-taicho. Shrugging it off as a weird occurrence, the teenaged girl leapt through the air, heading towards the clearing with a thoughtful frown.

But when she landed on the roof of the closest building, haori billowing, the loops and tails of her blue, silken sash fluttering in the air behind her, she found that Ukitake-taicho was holding an investing ceremony. Toushiro's eyes widened, and a grin spread across her face at the sight of the lieutenant's armband tied securely around Rukia's upper arm. Rukia's face was twitching - it was obvious that the noblewoman was trying extremely hard not to smile.

Hitsugaya sat on the cool terracotta and watched the formal investiture of power and the solemn oath that Rukia invoked - the same one that Matsumoto had sworn. And then she stood up, Sode no Shirayuki at her waist, her face radiating happiness, and Ukitake dissolved the ceremony into a small celebration with a bright grin on his pale face. Byakuya watched the gaggle of seated officers cluster around their new lieutenant in something like resigned pride. It was obvious that he was proud of his younger sister, but there was a distinct anxiety there that was almost palpable.

But eventually, Rukia noticed the extra reiatsu emitting the chill breeze, and she turned around to see the white-haired captain sitting on the roof with a smile on her sun-kissed face. Rukia's eyes lit up.

"Hitsugaya-san!" she called out, startling Ukitake and the other seated officers with her relatively casual reference to the ice-prodigy. Toushiro grinned at her and leapt down to the ground.

"Congratulations, Kuchiki-fukutaicho." Hitsugaya said, walking towards the dark-haired girl with a benevolent expression on her face. "But my, didn't your brother teach you any manners?"

Rukia laughed a bit and gave her friend a deep bow.

"My deepest apologies, Hitsugaya-taicho-sama." she said, over-exaggerating the motion with a theatrical smirk. "But in all seriousness, please never say that about my manners again. It reminds me of Ichimaru."

Toushiro blinked, lips curling down in disgust.

"Ewww!" she spat out. "Ugh, now I'll have to go decontaminate somehow..."

Rukia started laughing again and after a moment, Toushiro joined her with a soft chuckle and a smile. Then the young captain held out her hand for the other girl to shake, which Rukia did with a grin.

"But in all seriousness," Hitsugaya said, mimicking Rukia, "Congratulations. You now are officially allowed to have all the quirks you want and get away scot-free. Unless you're around one of the captains, that is."

Ukitake, who had been watching the easy banter between his fellow Shiro-chan and his new lieutenant, suddenly broke into laughter.

"Why, Hitsugaya-kun, stop corrupting my lieutenant!" he laughed. Hitsugaya snorted.

"Oh please, that's Kyoraku's job." She replied with a toss of her head. "And for your information, I'm practically incorruptible. Have you even met Matsumoto?"

Rukia giggled, smiling behind a hand at Toushiro's casual complaint, and Ukitake smiled down at his younger counterpart with a quizzical expression.

"Well, aren't you particularly cheerful today?" he commented lightly. Toushiro flashed the taller captain a scowl.

"It happens on occasion." Toushiro protested. "I'm finally off the medical leave Unohana forced on me, and Rukia just received a promotion, which means that Kuchiki-taicho is finally loosening up, at least a little, and then I walked into my office and didn't see the usual mounds of paperwork thanks to you and Kyoraku, surprisingly enough in Kyoraku's case, and...oh, I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"Uncharacteristically so." Byakuya said, tipping his head to the side in concern. For the sake of the seated officers there, who were staring at Toushiro in something like disbelief, he didn't comment on the mention of him that Hitsugaya had made. "Are you alright, Hitsugaya-taicho?"

As Toushiro thought that over, trying to come up with an answer, Rukia swept a critical eye up her friend's developing-hourglass figure and their increased height with a slow smile. Then she regarded the blue sash that Toushiro was wearing around her waist. Rukia laughed.

"I think _she's_ fine, Nii-sama." the new lieutenant said slyly, and Toushiro flushed a rose-gold in sudden annoyance.

"Oi, Kuchiki!" the young woman said indignantly. "I have not made any announcement on that yet, excuse you."

Rukia's violet gaze flashed with amusement, but she bowed.

"My apologies, Hitsugaya-taicho." she said, over-exaggerating the formality again, and then, with a quick glance at her newfound subordinates, softened her expression. "Have Kurotsuchi-taicho and Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho made any progress with the counter to turn you back?"

Toushiro, catching the brief look in the seated officers' direction, contorted her face into one of annoyance, despite her complete lack of interest in reverting to her original male gender.

"As far as I know, there's been no change." she said, lifting her tone into an aggravated growl. "The R&D department is still trying to figure out the original recipe that Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho accidentally spilled on me. They're close, from what Unohana says, but they're still missing something."

Out of the corner of her eye, Toushiro saw the startled air of the Thirteenth Division's seated officers fade away into one of amused understanding. Most of Seireitei knew that Hitsugaya's accident in the Twelfth had reversed her biological sex by now, and in bringing that up, Rukia had thrown up a clever smokescreen. She definitely deserved her newfound rank.

Rukia shrugged, also faking a concerned expression.

"Well, I hope you're okay with being stuck in a girl's body for a while, then."

Toushiro's white teeth flashed in an almost-fanged grin.

"Oh, I'm completely fine with this." she said nonchalantly. "It's not that bad. A little bit of a learning curve, but I can still fight and scare people shitless when I need to. Makes me have a little bit more sympathy for Matsumoto, honestly."

Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"That's hard to believe." she said dryly, coaxing a full-on laugh from Toushiro's smiling mouth.

"I know, right?" She said. "Anyway, would you drop by after you're done with the 'new-lieutenant' kerfuffle? I need your help with something - it's not terribly important, but Matsumoto's dealing with the rookies today and Hinamori's taking over for Hirako today because the idiot got himself slapped around by a Hollow out in the 74th District."

The graceful young woman raised an eyebrow in silent question, but when Hitsugaya refused to reveal any more information, the girl let out a long sigh, glanced back at her smiling captain and stoically-approving elder brother in silent supplication, then turned back to her fellow ice-wielder.

"Actually, if you want to wait, I'm almost done." she said with a smile. "Ukitake-taicho isn't introducing me to the unseated until tomorrow morning, so I just need a ceremonial release to prove myself to the seated officers."

Hitsugaya's expression morphed into a familiar, calculating stare that Rukia remembered very well from when she had been stationed in Karakura Town as part of the advance team. But with a silent nod, the ice-captain leapt away, standing safely on the nearby roof once again and sat down, obviously allowing the new lieutenant to do the first part of her job.

Rukia took a deep breath and drew her Zanpakutou. Ukitake took up his place behind her, and the seated officers all formed tight ranks before as her spiritual pressure rose. Definitely lieutenant-level reiatsu, there, Hitsugaya noted with a roll of her eyes. Yet Byakuya had kept her back for so long...

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

The blade turned pure white, a long, silky ribbon in the same pure color trailing from the end of her blade, and with a nameless slice of her white sword, a wave of soft white snow erupted from the full length of the sword, hilt and crossguard included. Toushiro blinked at the sight of the unusual source of the attack, then clapped slowly alongside the members and Captain of the Thirteenth Division.

With that out of the way, Rukia took respectful leave of her captain and then leapt up to the roof where Hitsugaya sat.

"So, what did you need my help with, Hitsugaya-san?" she asked. Toushiro blushed, then leaned over and whispered her dilemma in her friend's ear. Rukia reeled back with a peal of laughter.

"Oh, you poor thing!" she exclaimed with a giggle, ignoring Toushiro's irritated scowl and huff of embarrassment. "Poor Hitsugaya-taicho doesn't know how to-"

"Kuchiki, you finish that sentence and you're a frozen shish-kabob." Hitsugaya threatened, her face scarlet. Rukia sighed, smiling somewhat fondly at her new friend.

"Alright, I'm sorry." she apologized. "I keep forgetting that teasing you like I do with Ichigo or Renji is several times more dangerous."

Hitsugaya crossed her arms over her chest with glare, a usually innocent gesture of annoyance, but this time it only served to emphasize her growing cleavage. Rukia saw this and sighed.

"Okay then, let's go." she said, taking Toushiro's hand in hers and pulling the young woman to her feet. And the two Shunpoed off, leaving the crowd of seated officers to go their separate ways.

Ukitake watched the pair go and sighed. He knew that Toushiro was trying to transition as smoothly as she could, but the sight of the once-boy looking so obviously feminine was striking a chord of sadness deep in his warm heart. The white-haired girl was much happier now that she was female, that much was obvious to anyone who came across her, yet at the same time Ukitake felt a pang of longing for the sharp-edged young man he'd once showered with candy. Then the sickly captain sighed again, a slightly melancholy smile tingeing his sad features. Hitsugaya was happier than she'd ever been, and that was all that mattered. His personal opinion of Hitsugaya's transition had no place infringing on the young woman's rights.

But all the same, Ukitake couldn't help but wish that the girl could have found the same peace of mind as a boy.

"Heavy thoughts, Ukitake-taicho?"

Kuchiki-taicho's smooth voice broke into the kindly captain's thoughts, and Ukitake turned with a sad smile.

"Oh, it's nothing." he tried, but Byakuya's stare was firm.

"I would have you know that I find Hitsugaya-taicho's choice slightly discomforting as well." Byakuya said, his tone oddly strained. "But this was always meant to be. Hyourinmaru's wielders have always been female."

Ukitake sighed.

"She's just in so much danger now." the white-haired man said with a sigh. "It breaks my heart."

Byakuya let out a low cough and drew closer to the white-haired captain.

"...she has my support, Ukitake-taicho." he revealed quietly, the gravitas of his tone ponderous. Ukitake's brown eyes widened.

"You are walking very close to treason, Kuchiki-taicho." he warned in a whisper. "Besides, Hitsugaya-chan is still very young. To challenge the Soul King now could be fatal for her."

"She's all the more vulnerable, then." Byakuya returned. "If she is not strong enough to win a challenge, she will be taken. You know this - it is part of the reason you cannot support her transition, correct?"

Ukitake nodded, his pale face growing grim.

"Aside from my own personal beliefs, yes." he said firmly. "...What are you asking of me, Kuchiki-taicho?"

Byakuya let out a soft sigh.

"Unohana-taicho came to meet with me just before I arrived here." he kept speaking, but only in a low undertone. "...Hitsugaya-taicho apparently declared her intention to challenge the Royal Family should she be threatened, and also refused Unohana's offer for a legal change in gender. She's still officially male in Unohana's medical records. And furthermore...she asked Unohana-taicho to research past instance where the dragon and phoenix-wielders have claimed the right to the Trial of Two Blades."

Ukitake paled even further.

"She's buying time." he breathed. "She fully intends to topple the throne."

Byakuya nodded.

"As a last resort, I believe." he cautioned. "But yes. She will not lie down and hide. I am asking that you keep up the charade of 'accidental' femininity, should the Royal Guard catch wind of her. It is her only chance."

Ukitake nodded once, then narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

"...Why are you going so far for Hitsugaya-chan?" he asked softly. Byakuya sighed.

"Rukia greatly admires Hitsugaya-taicho, and I greatly respect Hitsugaya-taicho." the stoic captain explained calmly. "I would protect my sister and in turning Hitsugaya-taicho in, both of us would lose our pride. I cannot allow that."

Ukitake's expression softened.

"I understand." he said. "I will do as you ask...and we will not speak of this again. Agreed?"

Byakuya curtly nodded his agreement, and then the two captains parted ways. And so the wheel of fate clacked another notch forward.

* * *

 **Reviews make me happy! And so do critiques (if you have them)!**

 **~avtorSola**


	15. Kiss Me (Gently - My Fangs are Sharp)

**A/N:** **Uh, hi? I had three papers due in two days. Don't kill me.**

 **But anyway. Here comes the plot. And the fluff. This is a good one. I promise. ;)**

* * *

Toushiro gasped, her chest heaving, her entire body slick with frozen droplets of sweat. Her hands were trembling shakily, her knees doing the same, but the trademark wide wings characteristic of her Bankai still clung to her back. She had been training hard for the past four hours, using Urahara's hidden cave in Sokyoku Hill in order to train in secret.

"Raahhh!"

With a wordless yell, she sliced another seven boulders into splinters of rock, a sudden tidal wave of ice blanketing the slowly forming glacier in another layer of thick blue ice, piercing spires of silvered rime erupting around her frame. The cave trembled from the force of her reiatsu.

She was only in Shikai.

With another harsh pant, she gripped her Zanpakutou with both hands, her breath coming in harsh and fast. The new wings and tail of her Shikai lifted her into the air, the diadem of ice on her head winking in the low light, the icy chestplate gleaming wetly. She took a deep breath, reached for Hyourinmaru's reiatsu in the depths of her icy soul and steeled herself.

"Bankai! Daiguren Hyourinmaru!"

And suddenly, the wings of ice behind her shattered into snow, as did the tail. The tiara of ice shimmered and grew more points, slowly morphing into a fully formed crown of iridescent ice and diamond snow, and rivulets of sparkling ice-water trickled down her face and onto her clothes. She could feel her body temperature dropping steadily, her heart slowing as if in a deep state of hibernation, and suddenly the world around her turned to crystal. Ice encased her, freezing her through, and suddenly her consciousness was floating away from her body, her mind expanding, and she blinked.

Great green irises opened for the first time, and she shifted. The sibilant rasp of scales rustling together greeted her and she flicked her ears in confusion. Her vision was much keener than she was used to, every single one of her senses enhanced beyond anything she'd ever known but it somehow felt natural. Her head was very far away from the ground now...

" _Hyourinmaru?"_

The ice dragon in her soul chuckled.

" _I would gaze at yourself in a mirror before you try anything fancy."_ the dragon said, his voice ringing with pride and joy. Toushiro blinked, then looked around and with a surge of reiatsu forced a thick, glassy sheet of ice to form on the far wall, revealing her reflection.

A white dragon with piercing green eyes and sparkling, translucent-and-ivory wings glared back at her. It was an odd mix of Western and Asian in style, with the slender, long body and characteristic head of an Asian dragon, but the legs and muscular wings of a Western drake. Toushiro's jaw dropped in astonishment. So did the dragon's.

"What the..." she choked out, and the dragon's muzzle twisted to form the words. But the voice that came from that fanged mouth was beautifully musical, almost song-like, and utterly nothing like Toushiro's own voice. Hyourinmaru purred comfortingly in his mistress's soul.

" _You are a dragon, Fledgling."_ the wise ice drake said gently.  " _This is who we are. And if I may throw in my two cents as a male dragon...you are strikingly beautiful, my little queen."_

" _Oh, stop it, you!"_

Hyourinmaru burst into laughter, and Toushiro took the opportunity to further study her reflection. As far as dragons went, she didn't seem that large. She was perhaps three and a half meters (11.5ft) tall at the shoulder, and about nine meters (29.5ft) long from nose to tail. However, this did make her significantly larger than a shinigami and most Hollows. Her wings were made of a delicate, iridescent membrane reminiscent of a butterfly's gossamer touch stretched taut over white-scaled stretches of bone, like a beautiful rendition of a bat's wing in white. Her ivory fangs were long and sharp, as were her long white claws, and the barbed, crescent-moon shaped whip on the end of her tail could draw blood with even the lightest of touches.

She made a beautiful predator.

" _So how do I control this Bankai? What are my abilities?"_ she asked her Zanpakutou. Hyourinmaru sobered, and she could feel him smile in her heart.

" _Your teeth are swords, sharper than any Zanpakutou. Your claws are spears, capable of piercing every defense. Your scales will turn all but the sharpest of blades. Your tail is capable of felling trees easily, and the barb on your tail will sever even the toughest of necks. You breathe the rarest of flames - icefire - and your power is winter. You are the guardian of the heavens, fledgling. The entire sky is at your beck and call. But you must learn to wield your new powers for yourself. I will give you a hint, however. As I can take on a human form, as can you - but you must do so yourself."_

Toushiro bobbed her massive, scaled head, and the draconic lips curled up in a vicious grin.

" _My reiatsu is immense now that I have released my true Bankai - how shall I hide this?"_

Hyourinmaru was quiet for a long moment.

" _A dragon's reiatsu cannot be felt by a shinigami - our power is transcendent. It is too strong, too powerful to be detected."_ the wise ice drake said softly.  " _For others to sense you, you must consciously lower your reiatsu now, though I am not sure if this applies to the Royal Family or their Guard."_

" _I suppose I should put on a limiter, then."_ Toushiro said, worried. Hyourinmaru chuckled.

" _You will need three successive limiters to restrict and control your reiatsu to the levels normal for captains."_ Hyourinmaru thought with mirth.  " _You're becoming rather like Zaraki, wouldn't you say?"_

" _...How did I get stuck with you again?"_

Conversing with her Zanpakutou all the while, Toushiro began to continue her training, practicing her attack and defense while in her new draconic body. Movement came rather naturally, though flying was difficult. She'd need time to practice flight. And her icefire as well, along with the enhanced Tenso Jurin and her utter dominion over winter...there was a lot to get used to.

She ended her training session just as the clock she'd carefully hidden in the training room rang loudly. Was it four o'clock already? She sealed her Bankai with a whisper of reiatsu, and went through a dizzying transformation back into her usual human appearance, Hyourinmaru's blade clutched tightly in her reforming hand.

"Whoa, vertigo." she mumbled, touching a hand to her temple. Then, with a sigh, she sheathed Hyourinmaru and cast the Gentei Kaijo kido on herself three times, placing the tattoos along her collarbone and shaping them like lotus flowers instead of daffodils. That sealed her reiatsu to normal captain levels, and with it thus under control she found it easy to suppress it to her usual faint trickle.

Then she Shunpoed from Urahara's "secret" cavern and headed back towards her own division, her waraji tapping lightly on the roof tiles. Butterflies were beginning to flutter in her stomach.

Her date with Ichigo was tonight.

As she arrived back at her own house, tired and sweaty, she found three very familiar faces standing outside her door with their arms crossed, expression bordering on indignation. Matsumoto, Hinamori, and Kuchiki. Toushiro paled sharply.

"Taicho, where _were_ you?!" Matsumoto scolded. Hitsugaya scowled.

"Training, Matsumoto." she deadpanned. "Why are you three so upset? I have two and a half hours until I leave."

"No, no, no, Shiro-chan! You're supposed to have more time to prepare!" Hinamori said indignantly. "Inside, now!"

Toushiro's temper spiked, a vein popping on her forehead, but then Rukia came up behind her and pushed her forcibly inside before she could argue.

"Kuchiki!"

"Inside!" the three chanted in unison, leaving no room for the young captain to argue. They escorted the white-haired girl into her own home, practically carrying her into her bathroom and throwing her into the bath in the process. After she was clean, the three meddling girls waited barely long enough for her to put on a yukata before they seized her again and dragged her into her bedroom, where a disgruntled Hitsugaya was toyed with like a life-size doll for the next two hours despite her protests to the contrary.

But finally, a gentle knock on her front door echoed through the house at exactly 6:30, and Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia all squeaked in delight and rushed to peek through the curtains at the person standing outside, leaving a suddenly nervous Toushiro to hover uncertainly in front of the door.

"It's Ichigo!" Rukia stage-whispered back to the white-haired girl with a bright smile. "Get out there and have fun tonight, Hitsugaya-chan."

Matsumoto and Hinamori both gave the ice-wielder furtive thumbs-up, smiling broadly, and so Toushiro smiled shakily back at them, then took a deep breath and opened the door. Ichigo stood in the doorway, dressed in his usual shihakusho, a slightly stupid grin on his face. Upon seeing Toushiro, however, he sobered sharply, fumbling with his words for several seconds before gently presenting the young woman before him with several flowers.

"I thought you would like these." he said simply, his cheeks pink. Toushiro stared at them for several minutes, then reached out and delicately took the pink and white bouquet from Ichigo's hands, their expression softening.

"Roses?" Toushiro asked in soft surprise. Then she looked up at Ichigo with a faint blush.

"Thank you, Kurosaki." she murmured quietly, somewhat dazed by the gift. Then she stiffened like the roses had shocked her belatedly. "Oh, I've got to put these in water! Here, why don't you come in for a second while I grab a vase..."

Ichigo nervously followed Toushiro through the doorway, only pausing to pull off his shoes as the girl dashed off to the kitchen, a blue ceramic vase appearing in her hand as if by magic. She came back a moment later, carrying the vase of pink and white roses into her living room and setting it gently on a glass side-table. Ichigo peered around at the captain's house in wonder.

"You have a nice house." the substitute commented lightly. "I wasn't expecting you to like the Westernized style so much, though."

Toushiro laughed lightly, then caught Momo's eye from where the three mischievous 'helpers' were hiding in the dining room and glared at her.

"I enjoy its creature comforts." Toushiro admitted, drawing back to Ichigo's side. The warm, coral-pink lipstick on her smile practically glowed with amusement. "Besides, I can afford to remodel several times over if I get bored later."

Ichigo snickered under his breath, also glancing at the doorway behind which the three lieutenants were hiding.

"Oh, if only I'd known you when a truck crashed into my house." Ichigo said dramatically. Toushiro raised an eyebrow quizzically, and Ichigo winked at her.

"Oh wait...it was a Hollow, not a truck!" he cried, slapping his forehead in mock remembrance. "And then some _midget_ shinigami decided it would be a great idea to wipe my family's memories- Oh, missed me!"

Rukia had burst from her hiding place in a whirlwind of anger at the sound of the word 'midget' and she had just kicked at Ichigo's shins. But he'd been expecting her, and was thus able to jump over the angry shinigami's head with ease. Rangiku and Momo, who Rukia had knocked over in her mad dash, groaned, picked themselves up off the floor with rueful expressions, then froze at the wicked smirk on Ichigo's face.

"Hello." he said with a snicker. "Did I tell you that Urahara's been teaching me to sense reiatsu more accurately?"

As Rukia, Momo, and Rangiku pouted, their spying foiled by Ichigo's newfound skills, Hitsugaya felt a spate of uncontrolled giggles erupt from her mouth. She cupped a palm to her face, but the laughter was too much and so she gave in and burst out laughing. Momo, Rukia, and Rangiku pouted more vigorously, throwing betrayed looks Toushiro's way. Ichigo watched the young woman laugh with a spreading softness taking over his facial features, the chocolate of his gaze melting to liquid pools. A long minute passed, in which Toushiro managed to reassert control over herself, before anyone spoke again.

"You're so beautiful." Ichigo said without thinking, and Toushiro fell silent in surprise, then blushed deeply, turning her face away in a huff, though a smile played at her lips. Then the carrot-top sighed and offered his date his arm.

"Shall we skedaddle?" he asked, and Toushiro started to chuckle again as she looped her arm through her date's and they started out the front door, pausing only to put on their shoes.

"Skedaddle?" she asked with a smirk and Ichigo shrugged.

"Sounds spiffier than 'let's go,' don't you think?" he asked, and the two Shunpoed off, shutting the door behind them on a trio of ecstatic shinigami. They arrived at the Senkaimon in seconds and shot through it even faster, arriving at Urahara's shop in a whirl of black and green. Yoruichi and Urahara were waiting for them, the Shihoin princess smiling fiercely, her expression proud.

"Hitsugaya-chan." she said, her voice warm. "Urahara has modified your gigai's clothes so that it will reflect whichever clothes you are wearing in soul form."

Hitsugaya nodded politely at the scientist, then reached out and took her gigai from Yoruichi's grasp and entered it, watching with interest as the white shift shimmered and morphed into a perfect replica of her black skater-skirt, grass-green blouse with a white, long-sleeve undershirt, and soft black shoes with the slightest bit of a wedge heel that Momo had let her borrow for the night. And then, even more surprisingly, she felt the makeup surface on her gigai's face, the lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara instantly going on.

"Impressive, Urahara-san, Shihoin-san." she said politely, and the two bowed deeply, and then Yoruichi gestured in Ichigo's direction. Toushiro's mouth went dry.

Ichigo was wearing a light grey, long-sleeve button-up shirt with a sleek black blazer and dark-wash jeans. Everything was clean and pressed neatly. The teenager suddenly looked very, very handsome. Hitsugaya felt her heart speed up, but unlike the sickening, anxious butterflies of before, a tingly sort of feeling that was utterly blissful crept over her. She walked over to the boy, well aware that she was staring, and watched as Ichigo flushed under her scrutiny. Then she found her voice, and a surge of confidence shot through her.

"Don't make eye contact with any other girls tonight except the restaurant staff." She ordered, crossing her arms over her chest with a stern expression. Ichigo blinked in surprise.

"Why not?" he asked, baffled, and Toushiro rolled her eyes.

"You look too damn handsome for your own good." she snapped. "I don't want to have to maim any other girls to get them to back off."

Ichigo burst into laughter and took Toushiro's smaller hand in his. She was very petite, the teenager realized belatedly - the girl's snow-capped head was barely level with his shoulders. It meant that he could rest his chin comfortably on top of her head - not that she'd appreciate that, but it would probably make for good cuddle sessions.

"You shouldn't worry." he said with a sincere grin. "I can't hold a candle to you. I'll be so busy sending death glares at other guys that I won't have time to get into trouble."

Hitsugaya snorted.

"Uh huh. Sure." she said sarcastically, utterly unconvinced, and Ichigo laced his fingers through her more slender ones, and they began to walk off. They did have to be at the restaurant by 7:00, after all.

* * *

"So then Keigo tackles me after school - the idiot - and I'm sent sliding face first into my teacher, who spills her _blazing hot_ coffee all over her papers and my face, and then she's yelling at me because I just soaked everyone's term papers and _nobody_ seems to care that my face is practically melting off. And then, as if karma wasn't being enough of a bitch, the principal walks out, sees me and the teacher arguing, and immediately suspends me for two days for _no reason_ , and so the _entire_ school - because of course everyone was just watching - basically has to explain to that idiot that Keigo had pushed me in the first place..."

Toushiro covered her mouth with her hands, her shoulders shaking as she tried hard to hide her laughter. But Ichigo saw her mirth anyway and fixed a pout on his face, though his lips were twitching also.

"Oi, I nearly got suspended from school!" he protested. "This isn't funny!"

Toushiro shook her head, hiccuping slightly as she swallowed her laughter.

"Oh...oh god, you...your _face_ was...just...just hilarious..." she gasped out between fading snickers of schadenfreude. Ichigo sighed, leaning back in his chair with a helpless smile while Toushiro laughed. He reached for his coffee with smile, sipping the warm liquid cheerfully, and Toushiro eventually calmed enough to speak.

"I never knew your school was so chaotic." Hitsugaya said with a fond quirk of her coral-pink lips. Ichigo sighed.

"It's getting close to the time where some of us may start hearing back from colleges. Everyone's antsy." Ichigo said with a shrug. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"Did you apply anywhere?" she asked curiously. The orange-headed substitute nodded, a faintly amused grin twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, a couple places - I want to go into national intelligence as an undercover agent." he said with a grin. "My language skills are pretty good so far, and you're aware that I can kick ass when I want to, so I'm good on that front, but as for subtlety..."

"You're about as subtle as a traffic cone in the snow." Toushiro said bluntly, nursing her tea with a smirk. Her feet kicked in slow circles under the table, her ankles sometimes brushing over the rough fabric of Ichigo's jeans. The substitute scowled.

"Hey!"

Toushiro shrugged with a lopsided smile and quirked a snowy eyebrow.

"Five people and a cat, Ichigo." she said with a sigh. "You invaded Seireitei in a crazy firework cannon with five people and a cat."

Ichigo grumbled and conceded defeat, and Toushiro let out a long sigh, her expression suddenly thoughtful.

"Why intelligence?" she asked. Ichigo shrugged, then gazed at the pretty young woman across from him with an intense chocolate stare.

"I protect people. It's in my name." he said seriously. "And...honestly, I want to head to Soul Society before long. Most of my closest friends are there - and you are too. Working with something so dangerous will allow me to have some sort of way out, I suppose."

Toushiro's expression turned hard, her jaw tightening.

"You can't get a job for the purpose of offing yourself!" she hissed. Ichigo shook his head, looking annoyed.

"Oi, that's not the point." Ichigo interjected. "The point is that I can help protect my friends and family while I'm here, and later explain to the friends who don't know about shinigami why I've 'disappeared' from society."

At that, Hitsugaya's protective hackles lowered, her expression softening, and she reached across her now-empty plate and took Ichigo's warm hand in between her small, cool palms.

"...Sorry for jumping to conclusions, then." she apologized, but Ichigo merely shook his head again, tugging lightly on the collar of his light-grey button-down. His expression was cheerful.

"Nah, you did the same thing that Rukia did." the substitute said. "But anyway, that's enough about me - what about you? How did Byakuya take your news? Do I need to smash anyone's faces in?"

Toushiro chuckled lightly, a sardonic flick at the corner of her coral-pink lips.

"No, thankfully not." She said. "Kuchiki-taicho was very understanding. He even offered to give me my first furisode."

Ichigo's eyes bugged out.

" _What?_ " he gaped shamelessly for several long minutes until Toushiro reached out and lightly flicked him on the nose in snappish remonstrance.

"Kuchiki-taicho only hates _you_ because you humiliated him, idiot." the white haired girl said, tucking a strand of her white hair behind her ear with a smirk. "I, on the other hand, have always held him in high-esteem. We have worked well together in the past."

Ichigo scowled quite visibly at his date, but Hitsugaya ignored it with a toss of her head, and out of the corner of her eye caught sight of the young man waiting on their table returning with a large slice of chocolate cake and two smaller plates. She lifted her head as he came over to them and set the cake down upon the clean white table-top, flashing the girl a saucy smile.

"The manager bought this for you two." he said, winking at Hitsugaya with his grin still oozing sauce and completely ignoring Ichigo's dagger-sharp glare. "She said a pretty little doll like you would probably appreciate the chocolate."

"Hey-" Ichigo was cut off by a sharp kick under the table from Toushiro's small foot, and she smiled disarmingly up at the brunette waiter.

"How kind of her." she said, affecting a delighted smile. "Would you fetch her for me? We'd like to thank her."

The waiter grinned again, black eyes smoldering in his face, and gave the girl a little bow.

"Of course, babe." he said, and then ran off. Ichigo glared at Hitsugaya across the table, looking upset.

"What was that?!" he hissed, upset by what had just happened. "That guy was hitting on you!" Toushiro winked at Ichigo, a slow smirk spreading nastily across her golden-tinted face, then reached out with her fork and took a bite of the moist chocolate cake, relaxing back into her chair as the rich sweetness hit her tongue. She savored it for a long moment, a smudge of dark icing on the corner of her mouth.

"...oh, it's dark chocolate..." she murmured, and Ichigo had to stop himself from leaning over and kissing the frosting right off that coral-pink mouth.

"Toushiro, you were letting that sleaze flirt with you!" Ichigo said, still upset, and Toushiro just shook her head, her wicked little smirk playing over her lips, and delicately wiped the icing off her face.

"Just watch and learn, Strawberry." she said slyly as the brunette waiter and the tall, slender manager came over to the couple. The manager smiled somewhat quizzically down at the pair, her expression polite but confused.

"Katsuro told me that you wished to speak with me?" she asked, and Toushiro nodded cheerfully, looking up at her with a suddenly terrifying smile. Ichigo, upon seeing it, suddenly had traumatic flashbacks to Unohana's effortlessly fear-inducing smile. The manager paled a little bit, as did a suddenly-baffled Katsuro.

"Yes, I wanted to thank you for your kindness in getting us the cake." she said calmly. The manager seemed to perk up instantly, relaxing somewhat, and she grinned down at them in a friendly way.

"Oh, you two were just too cute. I couldn't help myself." she said, and Hitsugaya nodded, her expression still dangerously sweet.

"You have our gratitude." she said, her voice turning sickly sweet, a hidden malice surfacing in her green eyes. She fixed a piercing glare, the one she used on misbehaving subordinates, on the cheesy waiter.

"However, I would ask that you assign this table another server for the night." she said, her tone icy and crystalline clear. "I appreciate sauce, but only on pasta, and only flavored in tomato. _Sleaze sauce_ isn't my cup of tea, especially when I'm on a date with _someone else._ "

Katsuro quailed under the cold glare, and Ichigo had to hide a grin of pure pleasure as the petite shinigami effortlessly shut the sleazy server down. The manager glanced over at Katsuro, appalled, anger beginning to surface on her face. The brunette man cringed.

"My god, I'm so sorry." the manager said, horrified. "I apologize - your meal will be on the house, and I'll assign Yukimura-san to your table. Please, enjoy your cake."

Toushiro's expression softened somewhat, understanding creeping across her face.

"Thank you." she said, her polite aura instantly sliding back into place over the dangerous fury. "...I'll definitely remember this restaurant and its excellent manager."

The tall woman smiled, noticeably relaxing, and again she apologized to the petite young woman for Katsuro's behavior before grabbing the hapless waiter and marching off with him, only pausing to speak with a middle-aged waitress before storming into the back with the over-flirty waiter. Ichigo crowed the moment they were out of earshot.

"You're unbelievable." he laughed, rubbing his thumb over the back of Toushiro's hand, his cackling snickers causing a self-satisfied smirk to spread over Toushiro's face.

"I know." she said with contented sigh. "That was fun."

Ichigo laughed at her again and with broad smiles at each other, they dug eagerly into the chocolate cake. They ended up having a mock sword battle with their forks over the last few bites, which Toushiro somehow won, but then she gave in spectacularly to Ichigo's pleading expression and let him have a last nibble. Then, after the manager made good on her promise that their meal was at no cost, the two stood up, tipped the kindly waitress that had taken over for Katsuro, and left the restaurant arm in arm.

They shed their gigais (body in Ichigo's case) and left them briefly at Urahara's while the two returned to Seireitei. Ichigo dropped the girl off at her house, and they stood at the door for several long minutes, just talking. But then Toushiro dropped her gaze and smiled.

"...I had a good time tonight." she admitted quietly. Ichigo's smile was bright enough to be a sunrise.

"Me too." he said, and Toushiro looked up at him, something nameless and beautiful shining in those luminous emeralds, her coral-pink lips fluttering into a soft smile, her makeup-lined eyes looming ever larger as Ichigo's head dipped down. Their noses touched together for a moment, and then Toushiro stretched up on tiptoe and allowed Ichigo to press his lips to hers, with blushing sincerity. Both felt fireworks crackle over their skin at the chaste touch, but as soon as it had begun, it was over. Toushiro pulled back, a small hand reaching up to touch her lips in something like shock.

It had been her first kiss, and though the feeling had ignited something pure and powerful in her heart, she drew back. She smiled.

"...That's the farthest I'm willing to go." she said softly, and Ichigo raised an eyebrow in something like confusion.

"What was?" he asked, confused, and Toushiro blushed.

"That kiss." she said quietly. "I don't want to go any further than that with anyone."

Ichigo's expression cleared, and he nodded.

"Alright." he agreed easily. "That's about as far as I'll go anyhow. I promised myself that a kiss or two would be the most I'd give to anyone before I got married."

Toushiro's expression was suddenly relieved, her face relaxing, and Ichigo grinned at the sight. So they'd be compatible after all.

"So, are you interested in a follow-up or...?" he asked, and Toushiro just nodded.

"I'm free every weeknight after 4:30pm." she said. "Saturdays are usually my training days - I made an exception today, though - so I'm available after 6:00pm on Saturdays, and then I'm completely free on Sundays."

Brown eyes lit up in shades of joy.

"So, how about next Sunday? I'll take you to see the seventh Star Wars and then we can walk around the park and get coffee afterwards - or tea. You prefer tea, don't you?"

Toushiro's lips twitched and she shrugged.

"Coffee isn't readily available in Soul Society." she explained in an offhand manner. "So tea is the default. I've never actually tried coffee before."

Ichigo scratched at the back of his head, trying to process that.

"Wow." he said, dumbfounded. "Well, that settles it. I'm taking you to Starbucks or something. And if you don't like frappuccinos, then I suppose you can get their vanilla chai stuff."

Toushiro nodded in a contented sort of way.

"It's a date, then." she said. "What time? I'm unfamiliar with your movies."

"Will three work for you?" Ichigo inquired and Toushiro nodded. Then the transgender girl stood on tiptoe and kissed the carrot-top lightly on the cheek, her coral-pink lipstick leaving a barely-visible smudge.

"See you at three, Ichigo. Good night."

"Good night, Toushiro." the carrot-top replied warmly, and then with a flash of Shunpo he disappeared.

Toushiro stepped into the familiar darkness of her own home, took off her shoes, shut the door, and then sat down heavily on the floor, a beatific smile spreading across her face. Her heart felt light, and its beat was a spirally rhythm in her chest. The night had been wonderful and...

She rolled onto her side, giggling in nervous hysteria, curling into a tiny ball. She had a boyfriend. Boyfriend. She was in a relationship with someone who accepted her for her transgender self and allowed her to feel completely natural without even batting an eye. With someone who respected her boundaries, knew her power, and yet cared about her despite all her icy walls.

And just like that, she realized that she'd been calling Ichigo by his first name, and that he'd been saying hers. Or had he?

"Toushiro..." she said, testing her name on her tongue. It was a boy's name, and though she liked it very much, it wasn't _her_ anymore. She wanted Ichigo to say _her_ name, not the name of this person she used to be. But she still didn't know what to rename herself. She'd been thinking about it for ages, but somehow every name she came up with wasn't quite right. Yukiko was the closest she had gotten at the moment, but somehow, she still needed that piece of Toushiro inside her heart.

She got up and dusted herself off, then went into her bathroom and cleaned the makeup off her face and got ready for bed. She could think about names later, she decided with a sigh. Procrastinating wasn't like her, but it was all she could think of doing at the moment.

Perhaps Ichigo could help her come up with something...

That strawberry...

She fell asleep with Ichigo's kiss still lingering on her smiling lips.

* * *

 **YAY! Aren't they so cute?!**

 **Review, please! Thank you!**


	16. Crack and Shatter

**A/N: Enter major plot point! (Go back and read the first few chapters if you can't find the continuity** **)**

* * *

Toushiro flexed her hand in near-silence, hissing as the broken bone in her palm reset itself under Unohana's healing kido. The tall, motherly woman had her lips pressed in a thin line, her usually smiling face deeply disapproving.

"You should not be training so hard." she admonished lightly, done with the healing kido and now busily wrapping the sore bone which had been mended beneath the golden skin. "I greatly dislike seeing you come to me with these injuries. And heaven knows that merely sealing your wounds with ice worsens their severity."

Toushiro sulked at the words as her hand was wrapped tightly with stiff white bandages. The bone would be sore and fragile for a few days, unfortunately. At least it was her left hand, so she wasn't crippled in her paperwork speed.

Unohana allowed the petite young woman before her to slide off the treatment table and stand. It had been about two months since Mayuri and Nemu had first spilled the gender-change potion on Hitsugaya's tiny frame. Now the young woman was taller than Soifon, and was fast approaching full maturity. Unohana's lips thinned even further, worry gnawing at her.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, I did as you requested." she said softly. "I have left traces of my reiatsu on the particular records you require, although I encourage you to research the Daireishokai at your leisure. I only went through the past three hundred years, but this dynasty has been in power for several tens of thousands of years, perhaps even longer. If you truly wish to know the full extent of these incidents, I recommend that you see Kurotsuchi for aid. He is quite adept at hacking into the archives."

Toushiro's nose wrinkled, and she scowled.

"I don't trust that sicko any further than I could dropkick his sorry ass." she growled out. Then she paused. "Actually, never mind. I could probably punt him into the Shakonmaku. I just don't trust him."

Unohana's lips curled in a sort of fond exasperation with the young woman before her, though she sympathized with ice-wielder.

"Then I am afraid that you will have to conduct your investigations manually." she apologized, and Toushiro shrugged apathetically.

"Oh well." she said. "Thank you for your help."

Without waiting for a response, Toushiro was gone in a blur, jumping lightly from rooftop to rooftop as she made her way to the archives. It was still fairly early, only just noon, so she had just enough time to stop by the Daireishokai without being late for her date with Ichigo. She dropped down in front of the guards, the trails of her light blue sash and Hyourinmaru's dark indigo sheath in sharp complement with her focused, sober expression.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, Captain of Division Ten, requesting entrance to the Daireishokai." she said, her tone flat. The guards nodded to her, then stood aside from the doors and bowed her through. Only she, Yamamoto, Unohana, and Kyoraku had unrestricted access to the Daireishokai. Kyoraku, because he was in charge of their maintenance, Unohana because she sometimes needed access to medicinal records to research possible treatments, Yamamoto because he was Yamamoto, and her because she was in charge of all internal investigation - a massive responsibility. As the chief investigator of Seireitei, she was responsible for unraveling all high crimes within Soul Society, including homicide and attempted assassination. She was also responsible for investigating Central 46 when the need arose. She had once investigated one of judges for fraud - and found them guilty. It had been the most unpleasant case in the history of her eighteen-year tenure.

But as she walked through the doors unquestioned, she felt grateful that her office gave her immunity to the usual suspicions. If any of the captains without this explicit permission needed to enter the Daireishokai, they would have to present a statement explaining exactly why they required entrance.

That would have been uncomfortable.

Tapping her chin with a slender finger, Hitsugaya descended into the depths of the dusty archive, following Unohana's distinct, though faint, trail of reiatsu down over fifteen floors until she reached the particular bookshelf on which a faint tingle of reiatsu lingered. The dust down there was nearly half an inch thick on some surfaces, and the vague footprints of past researchers were strewn in forlorn trails about the place. This particular level of the archive documented everything that happened in Soul Society from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty years ago - and it showed.

Crossing through the layer of dust on the floor with careless abandon, Toushiro walked slowly through the dimly-lit aisles in deafening silence. The bookshelves were all close to seventy-five feet in length and had layers of six shelves, arranged like the myriad spokes of a wheel extending from the gaping circular hole in the very center of the library which was nearly fifty feet in diameter. Hitsugaya grimaced visibly at the long bookshelf and the thick dust strewn across all the surfaces. Much of the Daireishokai hadn't been visited since it's creation. The Eighth Division was only responsible for the ten top floors, after all, and the Daireishokai had well over a hundred floors - though the exact number of floors was entirely unknown. It was rumored that the very bottom floor didn't even exist - that the archive just kept going on forever until the dust was so thick that it buried everything beneath it.

Locating the book that Unohana had found absently, Toushiro found that she could entirely believe that. Even she - who had been down seventy floors once in a fit of pique - had never seen the bottom of the archive when she peered over the railing and looked into the dim greyness below. Everything seemed to simply melt into the murk.

Cautiously, Toushiro opened the dusty pages and flipped quickly through the aged paper, careful not to tear the fragile pages. She read as quickly as she could, devouring the information contained inside the book in mere minutes. And then she found what she was looking for in the last few pages of the records - which were specific to the southern 80th district and the Royal Family

 _Date: February 29th.. Time: 21:00 hours. Event Description: The Royal Family issued an executive order to the members of their Guard to locate a specific soul in the Rukongai which had alerted their sensors to an unusual reiatsu signature. The soul in question was discovered to be a first-year student at the Academy who showed significant promise and possessed a phoenix-spirit. Considering the danger this student posed, the soul was permitted to meet with the Queen, who informed him of his situation. When the soul resisted, he was forced to pass on his lineage and his Zanpakutou spirit was taken from him and its power sealed to its rightful bloodline. The seal was not fully complete when the soul fled the scene, and thus he remained in minor contact with his Zanpakutou. The power remaining to him was deemed non-threatening, and as the experience appeared to crack his mind to some degree, he was not pursued. The reclaimed Zanpakutou spirit, Kagamihana Mizutsuki, was sealed into an Asauchi and set aside for the phoenix-wielder's and Queen's child._

Toushiro could feel her hands tremble as she reread the passage. This poor man. The most recent victim of the Royal Family's cruelty had been forced to impregnate a woman against his will - rape, essentially - and on top of that had his Zanpakutou spirit ripped from his soul.

Then Toushiro paused, looked over the Zanpakutou's name written on that page for a long moment, studying the kanji with slight confusion. The hastily written script was somewhat difficult to read, but now that she had the chance to fully comprehend it...

Her eyes widened, and the book slipped from suddenly nerveless fingers, thudding onto the floor with a loud bang. Realization was pounding in Toushiro's ears, her pupils dilated in shock, her heart frozen in her chest. The world faded away down long tunnels, and without warning everything went dark. Then she opened her eyes, her head throbbing, then realized with unhappy certainty that she'd fainted. Slowly, the back of her skull aching, she sat up woozily, picked up the book of records with trembling fingers and set it back on the shelf.

She stood, her thought process muddled. The revelation (more so her fall and head injury, perhaps?) had shattered her perception of nearly everything, and suddenly the entire world made so much cruel sense that it was physically painful.

Wild, all-consuming fear surging through her bloodstream, Hitsugaya bolted. She blurred up the Daireishokai's stairs and out the doors, accelerating across Seireitei in a blind panic, her thoughts swimming around her head in endless circles. Adrenaline born of terror gnawed at her insides.

 _Treason. Attempting to kill the Royal Family. Why hadn't she seen it before?_

But worse yet...

 _If_ he'd _been caught...what chance did she have?_

Kyoraku, who seemed to be on his way to the Daireishokai, called out to her in surprise as she tore past, but though she registered his presence, she was focused on only one thing. Hyourinmaru had mentioned earlier that she'd known of a sealed phoenix-zanpakutou, but she hadn't made the connection then. And now that the realization had been forced upon her...

 _Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding._

Kagamihana Mizutsuki

鏡花水月

But if the characters were read in _onyomi_ , an alternate pronunciation system derived from Chinese, the reading of the characters and the Zanpakutou's name was...

 _Kyoka Suigetsu._

She finally collapsed against a wall on a mostly deserted street, hyperventilating in shock, her knees buckling beneath her. Her head was swimming, the world spinning in dizzying circles. She sank to the ground, her hands clawing at the street tile in a futile attempt to ground herself. Kyoraku, who had clearly seen her distress and pursued her, knelt down next to her, worry shining in those brown eyes.

"Hitsugaya-chan, what's wrong?" he asked, seizing her wrists firmly to prevent her from tearing her skin on the gritty stones. She shook like a leaf in his grasp, the force of the understanding suddenly rushing through her blood destroying her coherency. Kyoraku tried to coax her into speaking, but he was dim in her perception, which was alight with a sudden rush of knowledge and cold understanding.

Aizen had tormented her - when she'd been a he - because of their similarities. Because as a boy, she'd been protected from the pain and suffering that he'd gone through. Because she'd been the antithesis of everything he'd been - loyal to the Soul King, fully sane, in possession of Hyourinmaru, safe from the danger of the Royal Family and the nobles' whims. Because she admired and had looked up to the kind-seeming captain and had never understood for one second that if she'd been a she at that point in time, then she'd likely have been standing at Aizen's side, just as bitter as he was.

All Aizen had been looking for was a way to right the injustice that had been done to him, and everyone - unknowingly - had stood in his way. Even though his methods had been terrible - annihilating Karakura Town to make a King's Key was unacceptable - he'd been motivated by loss and anger and vengeance, not hatred for his fellow shinigami and a insatiable desire for dominion.

Hinamori had been right all along. Aizen Sousuke had been the victim.

And now, Toushiro needed help.

The embryo of a yet-unborn plan sparked in her pounding skull, and her racing heart began to slow, though trepidation and fear still choked her viciously. Slowly, she returned to herself and became aware that Kyoraku was cradling her tightly, talking to someone outside of her gradually widening range of vision in hurried, anxious tones. Something pricked the crook of her arm, a cool numbness spilling into her bloodstream and forcing her adrenaline to drop sharply. Her vision was still splotchy, but as her heart rate fell to safer levels she became more aware that she'd been hyperventilating dangerously.

Well, she did have a good reason for her sudden panic - it wasn't every day that one discovered that their greatest nemesis was the only one who could possibly help them and that everything that they had thought was right was in actuality one of the greatest evils that could exist. It wasn't every day that one discovered that the man powerful and smart enough to fell the entirety of the Gotei 13 had been so easily toyed with by the Royal Family.

It wasn't every day that intense hatred suddenly became unadulterated understanding.

It wasn't every day that one decided to commit high treason.

She barely felt it when Kyoraku picked her up, unable to even protest. She was limp in the tall captain's strong grasp, staring up at the sky with a stunned emerald gaze. And then Hyourinmaru stirred in her soul.

" _Breathe slowly, my fledgling queen."_ he soothed, his tone solemn.  " _You must act as your heart commands and soar."_

Her mind cleared at the familiar cold voice, and though the flush of cool fluid in her veins appeared to dampen her panic and wild shock, her anger burned white-hot in her soul. Her head spun, and the faintest idea that she might have been knocked silly crept into her mind.

" _I must master my Bankai, Hyourinmaru."_ she said, steadily growing calmer and more lethargic. Someone must have sedated her. " _And then I will fall upon the Royal Family with no mercy. But I must keep this even more secret than my gender-switch."_

" _Carefully, little one."_ the dragon comforted her.  " _You must also find yourself and your place among the dragons and phoenixes."_

" _Hyourinmaru, I know myself."_ she assured. " _All I need is my new name and then I can focus on this task."_

" _You are still very young yet, fledgling. You must not abandon your personal interests."_ Hyourinmaru scolded gently.  " _And you must not sacrifice yourself for revenge."_

" _I won't..."_ Toushiro murmured sleepily, vaguely registering that she was lying down on something soft, though when that happened she wasn't sure, her aching head supported by a familiar pair of hands. Warmth flickered against the back of her head, just over the spot where she'd cracked her skull on the floor, and slowly she came back to herself.

Unohana was leaning over her, her hands glowing with green kido, and Kyoraku had his hands clamped down on her shoulders, pinning her to the padded white table she was lying on. Both captains appeared concerned, and Toushiro realized belatedly that Unohana was running healing kido over the back of her head. She blinked sleepily up at them.

"Hitsugaya-chan?" Kyoraku asked gently, his expression worried. She let out a soft groan.

"...Ow."

"Thank heavens." the Eighth Division Captain said, slumping backwards. Unohana also seemed relieved. "You gave me a scare, Hitsugaya-chan."

Slowly, Toushiro sat up. Her skull still ached dimly, and her body felt heavy and sluggish. She felt a bit woozy.

"...Huh?" she asked, trying to piece together a coherent response. Unohana came to her aid, the healing kido on her hands still gleaming against the back of her patient's head.

"Twice at the Fourth in one day, Hitsugaya-taicho?" she clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Once because of a broken hand and the second time because of a concussion. Honestly, child, how do you do these things to yourself?"

Toushiro blinked tiredly, piecing together her memory despite her groggy state. Her hair drooped into her eyes, and she reached up to brush it away carefully. She let out a sighing, high-pitched groan of annoyance as the brain bruise was healed under Unohana's careful touch.

"I hit my head in the Daireishokai." she said finally, when she felt clear-headed enough to speak. "I was reading through the records and...well, I was startled enough to faint. Cracked my skull pretty good on the floor. I remember waking up and being in a panic."

Unohana and Kyoraku sighed deeply, and suddenly a creaky old voice came from the doorway.

"What reason did you have to go to the Daireishokai?"

Toushiro turned to look, her mouth suddenly dry. Yamamoto, his expression somewhat disapproving, stood imperiously at the front of the examining room, his mustache and eyebrows twitching in annoyance. One eye opened in expectation. Toushiro swallowed hard.

"...Hyourinmaru recently warned me that I may be in danger of kidnapping because of his powers, and he told me that it had happened to past wielders of balanced dragon or phoenix Zanpakutous." she said quietly, trying to keep her motivation bound in a half-truth. "I wanted to research these occasions in order to better protect myself."

Yamamoto considered her for a long moment, then sat heavily down in a chair, his expression still deeply disapproving.

"How do I know you are not hiding something from me?" he rumbled, and Hitsugaya looked up in stricken confusion. A mixed scowl and smile played about the old man's bearded mouth, however, a sort of blazing mischief hiding in those old eyes.

"After all, you were hiding your relationship with Kurosaki Ichigo after I told you that I had to approve your potential boyfriends." the old man said. Toushiro's golden face went bright pink, and Kyoraku started howling with laughter. Even Unohana started giggling, and the old man nodded sharply to the door. A sheepish-looking Ichigo stepped out from behind the wall, rubbing the back of his head in an apologetic manner. Toushiro gasped suddenly, frantically looking around for a clock.

"Oh my god, what time is it?!" she squeaked out. Ichigo smiled faintly.

"4:30." he replied, then hastily amended his statement as Toushiro's pretty green eyes went wide in horror. "Hey, it's totally fine! You were knocked for a loop - it's not your fault. We'll just see a later showing, no big deal."

"Oh god, Ichigo, I'm so sorry." She apologized, trying to slide off the padded white table. But then Unohana smiled at her.

"You stay right where you are, young lady - there's still sedative in your bloodstream." she commanded, and Toushiro flinched back onto the treatment table.

"...Yes ma'am."

Yamamoto shot an unreadable look in Ichigo's direction, then turned his attention back to the young woman sitting in front of him.

"Kurosaki and I have engaged in a quite lengthy conversation concerning this budding relationship." the old man said sternly, and Ichigo sweatdropped, obviously regarding the old man in front of him with extreme caution. "Some of it involved death by cremation should he mistreat you."

Toushiro scowled at that, muttering something like 'he'd be frozen first' mutinously under her breath, but otherwise said nothing. Ichigo, hearing her comment, grinned behind a hand. Yamamoto, apparently oblivious, took her sullenness as a signal to continue.

"However, Kurosaki meets my expectations with little trouble." he said evenly. "I will allow this. But if you attempt to date anyone else without my permission..."

He left the sentence hanging, and Toushiro found herself nodding, implicitly understanding the threat. Then Yamamoto's gruff face gentled into a smile, and he sighed. He turned a knowing glance on Kyoraku.

"Does it please you to finally have a transgender colleague, Shunsui?" he thundered, and Toushiro blushed a little bit as Unohana pushed her back into a prone position. Shunsui laughed and nodded, preening, his pink kimono tugged a little more securely about his shoulders.

"I'm not trans yet..." Hitsugaya muttered quietly, glaring at the healing-captain who was currently forcing her to lie down. The dark-haired woman continued her healing kido, the gentle, coaxing nature of the spell gradually alleviating the faint disorientation that Toushiro still felt lingering around her. She was still sleepy, though...

She felt Ichigo's fingers lace through her own and a sudden tingle of alertness rippled through her heart. Tired out by the sedative slowly working its way out of her system, she smiled faintly up at the bright mop of orange.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo." she said quietly. The carrot-top shook his head with a grin.

"I told you, don't stress, Shira-chan." he told her firmly. "You can't exactly help being klutzy."

"...idiot Strawberry, you keep that up and I'll dump your ass before the second date." Toushiro threatened.

"My name doesn't mean Strawberry!"

"And my name isn't _Shira_."

"...I figured you wouldn't like being called Toushiro now that you're flouncing around in pretty dresses and skirts. People in the human world might look at you weird, and you don't seem to appreciate that." Ichigo reasoned, and Toushiro paused, blinking up at the orange-headed substitute.

"...you actually thought that through?" she asked curiously. "From what Rukia has told me, you're denser than a block of lead."

Ichigo scowled.

"Rukia only says that because I kicked her in the butt when she phased through my wall the night we met. She still hasn't forgiven me for it." he said grumpily. Toushiro stifled a laugh.

"I'm _absolutely positive_ that's the only reason she says that. But wait - how many people did you invade Seireitei with, again?" she asked airily, her tone sarcastic. "Oh yes - _five_. Six if you count Shihoin, except she was a _cat_ almost the whole time..."

"Alright, you've made your point; you can stop bringing that up."

Toushiro's twitching smirk was contagious, and within a few moments, Unohana, Kyoraku, and even the Soutaicho were attempting to hide their smiles. But then Unohana finished her healing kido and stepped back with an intimidating expression.

"I am done with healing your concussion, Hitsugaya-taicho." she informed her patient, a restraining hand still on the girl's shoulder. "But I recommend that you sleep off the effects of the sedative. It should work its way out of your system in an hour or so."

"Sedative?" Ichigo asked, his expression folding suddenly, a tinge of concern entering his vision as he belatedly realized the implication. "Christ, what _happened_?"

Kyoraku hummed to catch Ichigo's attention, his brown gaze unusually serious.

"The concussion that Hitsugaya-chan had made her act extremely...illogical, for lack of a better word." the Eighth Division Captain said. "She was hyperventilating when I found her and close to passing out. The sedative was meant mainly to calm her panic."

He turned to Toushiro then, raising an eyebrow.

"You are a she, now, right?" he asked. Toushiro shrugged.

"...yes." she replied with a sluggish yawn. "But officially I'm still male - at least, in the records. I'm not ready to take that step yet - I don't know how Seireitei will take it."

Kyoraku nodded understandingly, and then his expression softened again.

"You should sleep." he chastised. "Ichigo-kun, why don't you help your girlfriend to a bed so she can take a nap? I think there's a cot in the next room over that she can crash on."

Kurosaki spluttered for a moment, then, as Toushiro tried to rise with an annoyed scowl, quickly scooped the petite young woman into his arms and carried her to the room next door, ignoring her snarls of protest. After the pair had left the room, a heavy silence fell over the three remaining captains. Yamamoto, who had been watching in parental amusement, became incredibly grave.

"The Royal Family knows something has changed." he rumbled quietly. "Ichibei Hyousube has already come to me, alerting me to their imminent presence within Seireitei as they search for the dragon-wielder who has alerted their systems. If they find that Hitsugaya-taicho is willingly transgender, they will know that she is the one who has tripped their systems and take her."

Unohana touched a hand to her mouth, and Kyoraku fisted his hands in his pink kimono.

"Are we keeping silent?" he asked. Yamamoto remained quiet for a long minute, then sighed and spoke.

"As far as we are concerned, Hitsugaya-taicho is not a woman by choice." he said carefully. "And Kurotsuchi is working to return her to her original gender now. She is _male_. And therefore, until she disproves that irrevocably, we shall act as such. That will keep any attempted abduction at bay."

A slow smile spread across Kyoraku's face, and Unohana chuckled lightly.

"So we play for time, then?" the flamboyant captain said, scratching the stubble on his face. "And wait for Hitsugaya-chan to grow strong enough to deflect any kidnappers?"

Yamamoto nodded curtly, his expression dropping into sternness.

"Understand, however, that if she is caught, there will be nothing we can do to help her." he warned. "The most we can do is feign ignorance. However, she may choose to go along with the Royal Family's plans for her in any case. But if she chooses to resist, the most we can do is allow her time to come up with either the power she needs to win the Trial of Two Blades, or the ability to escape the royals' grasp legally."

Kyoraku and Unohana looked at each other with solemnity in their eyes.

"Who else knows about her ability to challenge?" Kyoraku asked at length. "I know Juushiro does."

"Kuchiki-taicho is also aware of the situation." Unohana said calmly. "But I do not think that anyone else has realized the implication of Hitsugaya-taicho's reassigned sex."

"And they should not." Yamamoto decided. "As of this moment on, we are not to speak of Hitsugaya-taicho's transgender forays until she herself makes that knowledge public. I expect this to be relayed to both Ukitake and Kuchiki immediately."

Kyoraku nodded and disappeared, and Unohana gave the Soutaicho a small nod before doing the same. Yamamoto let out a long, creaking groan, then shuffled out of the treatment room and stopped outside Toushiro's door, peering in with a certain dry curiosity that quickly turned to a mixture of paternalistic annoyance and quiet amusement. The girl was fast asleep, her breathing smooth and peaceful, a blanket drawn gently over her. Her head was pillowed on Ichigo's chest, who was cradling the young woman's upper torso to his chest, one arm wrapped loosely about the girl's waist, the other wrapped around her shoulders.

But just as Yamamoto had made up his mind to intervene and peel Ichigo's hands from the petite dragonling, the substitute brushed a lock of silky white hair from the smooth forehead and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to the gold-touched brow. Toushiro shifted in her sleep, the faintest hint of a smile curling her mouth up, and Ichigo's brown eyes shone. There was a determined slant to his mouth, a fierceness to those brown eyes that Yamamoto found intriguing. The headstrong substitute had never yet displayed such maturity that the Soutaicho had seen, but there was something about his expression which hinted at that growing matureness. Suddenly, with a pang of understanding, Yamamoto realized that Ichigo was almost an adult, and that Hitsugaya was quickly catching up (physically, at least - she'd been an adult mentally for a long time).

They were growing up, and nobody in Seireitei had really noticed.

And then Ichigo, his fingers lighter than the brush of a butterfly's wing, traced a loop around the most recent of the young captain's scars, gently trailing over the jagged dimple just beneath the sleeping girl's breasts on her right side. Yamamoto felt his opinion change suddenly as the teenager's expression hardened.

"I won't let you get hurt because me again, Toushiro." the orange-headed boy whispered. "Never again."

Yamamoto drew back from the cracked door, then turned on his heel and walked away. Hitsugaya was in safe hands with Kurosaki by her side, he understood then, the paternal feelings he'd always possessed towards the youngest of the captains suddenly swelling to encompass Kurosaki in the afterglow. As long as the hybrid shinigami didn't hurt the young dragoness, then Yamamoto would protect the both of them.

After all, that was what older dragons did - they protected the young.

* * *

 **BWAHAHAHA! :) Review & tell me what you think!**


	17. (Don't You Dare) Lie to Me

**A/N: MORE PLOT POINTS. Moving sorta fast from here on.**

 **AND, because I was too lazy to send PM responses:**

 **Allseer - :) lololololol**

 **Lobisomen616 - Hopefully in a good way?**

 **ChthonicScribe - My brain is weird... :/ (I swear, this was inspired by a real dream that I had. No lie)**

 **Azdoine - Thank you so much!**

 **Everyone else: You rock! ありがとうございます！**

 **Onward!**

* * *

 _"Thinking."_

 _"Zanpakutou."_

Toushiro scowled at the stacks of paperwork on her desk. She'd completed everything with ease, as usual, and now she was free to do as she pleased with the rest of her day. But she was annoyed. Sixteen incidents of belligerence and insubordination had been reported among the few nobles in her division since she'd revealed the accidental gender swap she'd underwent, the subsequent emergence of her feminine behavior (though how one could classify behavior as purely _feminine_ was beyond her), and her overt declaration of support for the tiny LGBTQIA+ community. The long streak of disorderly conduct was worrying. Thankfully it was only the nobles who seemed to be overtly objecting, and since her division was widely known for being strictly merit-based, nobles didn't often choose to serve under her. They could get privileges in other divisions that she was reluctant to give out, so they shied away from her command and left her with a vast majority of common-class soldiers. Barely 5% of her soldiers were of noble birth.

It wouldn't be hard to replace them if she had to. But the noble families had vast amounts of influence over the Central 46, and if she suddenly ejected them from her division, she could be brought to trial for some ridiculous charge that would probably be made up simply to silence her. But if she let them stay in her division, their ideas could spread to her loyal troops and breed dissent. Both options were bad.

But only one respected her soldiers' freedom of opinion.

She grimaced, then stood up and stalked out the door, her expression bitter. If she was to let the dissenters babble on as they pleased, she'd need to polish her skills. Never mind the limiters stifling her vast powers - she needed finesse beyond anything seen in Seireitei to keep everyone quiet. If she was to prove herself (yet again), she needed to show that taking on anyone lieutenant-level and below was mere child's play. And she needed that with the limiters on.

So she was to spend yet another afternoon training. She sighed, remembering longingly that Rukia and Momo had invited her to sit in on an SWA meeting that afternoon, then steeled herself and lightly touched Hyourinmaru's hilt. She'd managed to return to the Daireishokai after another pleasant evening spent in Ichigo's company, and had read several accounts of the rare men and women who had challenged the Royal Family and lost.

Apparently there was a very strict formula to follow when declaring the challenge. The challenger had to invoke the name of their Zanpakutou and recite a lengthy passage explicating their defiance. Then the Royal Family's champion would be permitted to set the place, time and precautions of the duel, as well as pick their immediate prize should they win. It was a test heavily slanted in the Royal Family's favor.

In the past, the 'prize' had often been public copulation, done out of spite to shame the captured dragon or phoenix before they were forced into subservience. But there had been a few instances where the challenging opponent had been slain as punishment. Toushiro desperately hoped that if she was forced to challenge - and then, heaven forbid, lost the duel - that public rape would not be the price she would pay for clinging to her pride and freedom. She would much prefer to be executed and forever remembered as a traitor and anarchist than be violated and humiliated so openly.

But even so, it was a risk she was willing to take, should her hand be forced.

The young woman ghosted through her division with narrowed eyes and firmly sealed reiatsu. Her subordinates bowed deeply to her as she passed them by, and only a few dropped their eyes away from her in discomfort. It stung a little bit to know that they were leery of her gender-swap, but there wasn't anything she could do to hide her hourglass figure, and her entire division understood that, even the few disgruntled nobles.

Hell, she wasn't even done growing yet.

The trails of the light blue sash around her waist twisted in the air behind her as she rounded a corner, and Hyourinmaru hummed on her back, wary of allowing her to enter the public training grounds when her powers were still in their fledgling stages. She ignored the dragon, silencing his worry with a roll of her eyes and a reassurance that she would not fight, only watch, then leapt up to stand on the low wall that surrounded the Tenth's training grounds. It wasn't quite shoulder-high on her anymore, so jumping up was easier than she'd expected, and she almost overbalanced before catching herself.

Several of her higher-seated officers were training their squads of rookie shinigami with their experienced counterparts acting as training partners. She watched them move through their kata for several long moments, eyeing them critically, then turned her attention to several of the individually training shinigami, also evaluating their techniques. It didn't seem like anyone was messing up too badly - a few corrections here and there would benefit her subordinates, but overall they were competent. She tipped her head to the side, mouth quirking up as she saw her Fifth Seat, Kawamori Jirou, training several of the slower of the newest recruits. That man was relentless when it came to training, and from what she could tell, the miserable-looking unseated shinigami standing in front of him thought so too.

The few men who noticed her standing by bowed in her direction respectfully, and as she watched one of the guys ducked his head and whispered something, causing the other three standing near him to laugh. She raised an eyebrow at them in askance.

"Yes?" she asked testily. The man who had whispered the unheard comment went pink as his comrades laughed.

"Oh, it's nothing, Taicho." the tallest of them said, eyes gleaming wickedly. "Fukishima here is just very attracted to short, curvy chicks."

Hitsugaya's eyebrow twitched, but her voice stayed calm.

"Well, would Fukishima like to tell me what he said?" she asked, a bit of an annoyed edge coming into her tone. The three others laughed as Fukishima sheepishly stepped forward.

"I, uh...Well..." he hedged for a moment, causing Hitsugaya's glare to turn icy cold. He shivered. "I just said that...well, you know...you're hot as a girl, Taicho."

Toushiro's voice died in her throat and she found herself opening and closing her mouth silently in shock. Fukishima's cheeks went even pinker at the sight of his captain's flabbergasted expression, and his three friends stifled howls of laughter. But then Toushiro swallowed, the golden tone of her skin warming to rosy-pink embarrassment, and allowed her lips to quirk faintly.

"Thank you." she said, stunning the group into silence. Fukishima gaped.

"...Taicho?" he questioned weakly, and the white-haired girl flashed a smirk his direction.

"What?" she asked flippantly, hands on her hips. "Last time I checked, I was a girl thanks to Kurotsuchi. Might as well take the compliment gracefully."

The four nodded slowly, and Hitsugaya rolled her eyes in a mixture of exasperation and indifference. _Men._

She turned on her heel and shot away, executing a flawless Shunpo that carried her nearly halfway across Seireitei to her in one fluid step. A light chuckle escaped her. Better not let Ichigo know that another man had complimented her - the hybrid shinigami could be distinctly hotheaded. Then Toushiro paused by the hidden entrance to the cave Urahara had made in secret (she'd have to thank Abarai for inadvertently showing it to her), and giggled to herself. If Ichigo was hotheaded, then she was practically an explosive - in certain situations.

With that thought in her head, she leapt down into the vast cavern, sealed the door tightly, raised a sturdy barrier around the entire room, then released her limiters and effortlessly called out her Bankai.

Within seconds, the entire room was sheathed in thick, glossy ice, and Hitsugaya's ivory claws made sharp clicking sounds on the crusted rime. She spread her iridescent wings carefully, flapping once experimentally, then snorted. Trails of cold, blue fire shot across the glacier-covered earth, crystallizing on impact. Hyourinmaru scolded her gently for carelessness in her mind, and with a pout and a careful breath, controlled cerulean flame whispered from her gaping maw, blazing bright and bitterly cold through the vast space.

Within seconds, the entire room was frozen through with spires of deadly ice, large icicles hanging majestically from the ceiling - an ice cave for an ice dragon. Toushiro looked around, her great green eyes blinking slowly, and the ice melted, clouds beginning to form at the ceiling of the vast cavern, swirling slowly in the atmosphere. Hyourinmaru purred encouragingly, and so Hitsugaya leapt into the air, her wings beating awkwardly, her flying still relatively ungainly, but she persisted in her practice. And as she quickly mastered the various aspects of her completed Bankai, something deep inside her soul clicked.

And she changed.

Several hours later, as the sun started to sink low over the horizon, she emerged from the cave, trembling and white-faced with shock and exhaustion, the limiters painted dark on her golden collarbone. Hyourinmaru did his best to keep her calm, his cold voice utterly serene as she, rattled, jarred him with question after terrified question.

" _Breathe, young one."_ he scolded gently  " _You must breathe."_

" _I have a Third Release!"_ she screeched mentally at him, Shunpoing messily back to her home and collapsing on the front porch, limbs trembling with exhaustion. " _What the hell, Hyourinmaru?! Bankai is supposed to be the final release!"_

" _Fukyuukai is not a Third Release, Fledgling. It is the ultimate form of our Bankai, when you become a dragon wearing a human skin rather than a human with a dragon in your soul."_ the great ice-drake reassured his wielder. He sent a wave of icy strength rushing through Toushiro's body, helping her stumble back to her feet and waver through her door and into her bathroom, where she practically tripped into the shower.

The young woman relaxed back into the lukewarm shower water as soon as she was undressed - hot for her, cool for anyone else. The dragon coiled in her heart rumbled soothingly.

" _...It's too powerful."_ she worried in the calmness of her cold soul. " _I can feel the energy simmering on my skin."_

" _It is supposed to be like that, Fledgling."_ Hyourinmaru said gently.  " _And I told you - of the dragon Zanpakutou, I am the most powerful. When you assume that form, the entire world would fall at your feet. Only my unbound kin would have the strength to stop you."_

Toushiro paused, the shampoo in her white hair dripping suds down her naked back and past the hard muscle of her thighs onto the smooth tile floor.

" _...your unbound kin?"_

Hyourinmaru let out a soft snort of amusement.

" _There are a great many dragons and phoenixes which chose not to become Zanpakutou, you know."_ the ice-dragon said with amusement.  " _All of them possess the humanoid form you just achieved. Draconic and phoenixial culture hinges on it - battles for dominance, mating rituals, and certain types of traditional Deep-magic are conducted while in a human form."_

" _Aw, shit."_ Toushiro mock-pouted. " _I suppose I'll have to learn the subtleties of that culture?"_

Hyourinmaru's mental shrug sent ice from his shoulders spiraling down to the surface of Toushiro's inner world.

" _If you ascend to the throne, yes."_ he said.  " _The Royal Family was supposed to be another participant in this culture, but when the royal Zanpakutou abandoned their bloodline, the dragons and phoenixes also began to ignore them. I don't believe that their kind have returned to Soul Society in thousands of years."_

Hitsugaya ran her fingers through her lengthening white hair, working the shampoo out and rubbing a tiny dollop of conditioner into the white strands. Now that the shock was wearing off, the implications of her Fukyuukai release-form were starting to intrigue her more than scare her. But there was just one thing...

" _...Well, that's all fine, I suppose...but do I really have to wear something that revealing while I'm in that form?"_

In the depths of her soul, Hyorinmaru burst into laughter.

* * *

The next morning, Hitsugaya woke up feeling refreshed, and since she'd done a ridiculous amount of training the day before, decided to go straight to the Daireshokai to research and brainstorm. She needed a plan. Aizen, she knew, would end up playing a key part in her plot, but she would only need to bring him into this mess if the Royal Guard ended up searching for her. But if the Guard was indeed searching for a female dragon-wielder, then she needed to know ASAP so she could follow through on her plan.

Abruptly, she stopped in the middle of the street, a thought striking her, and suddenly altered her course from the Daireishokai towards Muken, her steps quick and purposeful. She let a slightly wild look enter her eyes, her lips pressing together in a thin line,and ruffled her hair a bit with Shunpo. The guards at the door of the First Division barracks said nothing when she flashed past - perhaps they saw her tense expression, perhaps they were terrified of her newfound femininity, or perhaps they simply didn't care, but no matter the reason they let her pass through and vanish into the depths of the great prisons below the First Division.

She ran frantically down, pausing only for a moment at the doors of the the lowest floor to convince the guards to let her see Aizen, if only for a moment. Initially, they refused her - not even captains were allowed in without Yamamoto's permission, but then she allowed her face to crack a bit, and with a heaving shudder, mentioned Momo's name, her voice breaking.

The trick worked. The two guards exchanged long glances, sympathy in their eyes, and let her pass through into the void. It was well known in Seireitei that the youngest of the captains had gone through mental hell at Aizen's hands because of her attachment to her sister - most shinigami knew that after the war had ended, the white-haired ice-wielder had been kept in the Fourth Division for two weeks after being pronounced fully healed so that her mind could recover from stabbing her sibling. So the pair gave her ten minutes to reassure herself of Aizen's imprisonment, and then they would come in and retrieve her. And the Soutaicho would be notified of her presence regardless.

She agreed, thanked them with a shudder, and plunged inside.

Muken was dark, the endless pitch black slowly lightening into different shades of grey, and she immediately had to choke back the sensation that she was separating from her body and drifting away from herself. She shook it off with little difficulty and approached the chair where Aizen was bound.

Conflicting emotions of hatred and pity rose up in her chest, and though she knew that he could hear her approach and speak to ward her away, he said nothing. She came to stand before him, her breathing somewhat ragged to cover the sound of her words, steeled herself, and whispered.

"I understand now."

Aizen's reaction was languid. He couldn't see her due to his bonds, but she was well aware of his abilities, and as she stood there she felt his reiatsu, likewise restrained and restricted, prickling over her skin. There was the faint sensation of feathers being drawn up her spine and she flinched, wondering how she never noticed before how phoenix-like Aizen's reiatsu was, or how _empty_ it felt.

She could almost hear the smile in his slick voice when he replied finally, his tone quivering with some nameless emotion, like it always did.

"...Hello, Hitsugaya- _chan_." he said softly, and suddenly Toushiro recognized the quiver in his voice as bone-aching grief and a maddening loneliness. She pretended to don an annoyed expression at the mock-affectionate address, but her newfound understanding let her delve deeper into the meaning of his words. Aizen _knew_ that she was female, and the note of awe in his voice was palpable to her.

"Aizen." she growled out, the dragon in her heart snarling in warning. But she said nothing after that, only watched for a long minute, observing the bindings wrapped around the man's entire body. He waited for a long minute, his curiosity sparked to life by her sudden visit, and then she stepped forward.

"...I will call for the trial if I must." she whispered quietly, hiding her face from any possible cameras. "...but I do not wish to rule yet."

Aizen's breath caught, and she smirked in triumph. The tables turned in that moment, and the aching inferiority that had plagued her throughout the course of the Winter War curdled into a dark sort of pleasure.

She was in the position of power now, and she found herself enjoying it.

"...What are you saying?"

Aizen's voice was incredulous, and though his voice was nearly silent, she caught it. A slight laugh escaped her lips.

"I think you know." she said in a low chuckle. "...you tried more unorthodox means, but the end result would have been the same should you have succeeded."

The flicker of Aizen's shock was suppressed by the bindings on his chair, but Toushiro felt it distinctly against the cool imprint of her wintry soul, and she grinned a lethal, wicked grin. Her anger at Aizen's actions had not subsided - she would never forgive him for what he'd done to Hinamori. But now that she'd understood why he'd acted willfully violent and cruel, she knew that if she'd been in his place...she would have done the same.

"...why?" Aizen asked in a soft whisper, and her face hardened.

"I read about what happened to you." she replied coldly, her tone like daggers. "...and if our positions were reversed, then I would have done the same thing you did. So now...we're on the same side. I want you to have your revenge - to regain the blade that is rightfully yours. And I want to see the Royal Family fall."

Aizen was quiet for a long while, but the overwhelmed feeling of confusion and wild apprehension was plain in his reiatsu, and she knew that he was not expecting to be given a way out - least of all from her. His reiatsu bowed underneath hers, however, and as it did she knew that he was silently submitting, the opportunity to reclaim his pride and power accepted wholeheartedly - even if it meant being subordinate to her. She smiled, accepted the submission gracefully with only a smirk of satisfaction.

Then she felt Yamamoto's reiatsu, faint as it was, curl around the doors, and she stiffened. Aizen did too.

"...get me angry. Quick." she hissed. "Yamamoto's here."

Aizen's amusement ratcheted up a notch, and with a light chuckle he sighed.

"Why should I?" he replied, his voice glossy. "You're beneath my notice, Hitsugaya-kun."

Toushiro felt her face split into something dark with anger, and Aizen must have felt it too, because he laughed a bit.

"Why, Hitsugaya-kun, you didn't actually think I ever considered you my equal, did you?" he said smoothly, pressing all the right buttons to rile the younger captain up - and even though Toushiro recognized what he was doing, she couldn't help the rising swell of her fury. "You and dear little Momo were merely a side act. And I must say...I quite enjoyed the finale. Your realization was heartbreaking to watch..."

"Shut up!"

She snarled, made to lunge for the imprisoned traitor, but suddenly Yamamoto had a restraining arm around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides, and though she struggled she knew that she wouldn't break free. The old man looked disapprovingly at her, some small pity in his eyes.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, if you do not cease to struggle, I will court-martial you for direct insubordination." he warned. Slowly, Hitsugaya went still in his grasp, trembling with the force of her anger, and Yamamoto turned to Aizen, looking at him with a disdainful eye. The old commander said nothing for a long minute, then let out a long sigh.

"Must I always resolve fights between children?" he asked mildly, and Toushiro glared up at him with a scowl. He ignored her. Aizen's mocking laughter rang in the room, but through it, Toushiro could just barely hear the co-conspiratorial glint of amusement.

"It appears so, Yamamoto." the bound traitor (was he really?) said with a flippant tone. Yamamoto's expression hardened.

"Be silent, whelp." he snapped. Then he seized Hitsugaya by her upper arm, gripping tightly, and dragged her from Muken. Toushiro protested, alternating her glare between Aizen and Yamamoto, her voice trembling. Aizen's words, though she'd expected them, had still felt like a sucker-punch to her gut, and the memory of Momo's blood on her hands was terrifyingly vivid. Yamamoto ignored her cracking voice and shaking hands until he had exited the prison, however, and then he spun the young woman around and snapped a hand out wordlessly.

Hitsugaya felt the heel of the old man's strong hand slam into the base of her skull, in the soft junction where her neck melded with her head, and then there was the distinct sensation of falling, the sky going grey.

Her eyes blinked open - when had she closed them? - to see that she was staring up at warm wooden ceiling-slats from where she lay tucked snugly into a warm futon. A warm blanket covered her, warding off the early December air, and the open window let rays of noon sunshine pour into the bare room

Ichigo, his expression blanked out by what seemed to be a mixture of sympathy and anger, sat in a chair on the other side of the bars.

She sat up, eyes widening, throwing the blanket off her legs and running towards the barred entrance of her cell. Ichigo stared impassively up at her, anger and concern both clearly present in his eyes. She wrapped a hand around the metal rods, stunned by their appearance, then sank gently to the ground, her heart sinking with her. She'd known that entering Muken without Yamamoto's permission was basically illegal, but she'd figured that she'd have significant leeway when it came to seeing Aizen imprisoned. After all, she and Hinamori had suffered the brunt of his cruelty. But here she was regardless - locked up.

"...how bad is it?" she asked, her voice thick. Ichigo said nothing for a long moment, then sighed.

"You're not being charged with anything except mild recklessness." the orange-haired teenager said stiffly. "But Yamamoto thought that throwing you in jail for a few days might teach you a lesson."

Toushiro leaned her head against the cold metal, sighing in relief. Mild recklessness was a common charge - it was more of a slap on the wrist than any real punishment. Zaraki, Kurotsuchi, Kyoraku, and Hirako all had at least a thousand of the things on their track record, and most of the captains had at least a good dozen - she was no exception. Ichigo must have noticed her obvious relief, however, because his expression quickly turned to fierce anger.

"What the hell were you thinking, Toushiro?!" he all but shouted, his voice heated. He reached through the bars and seized the front of Toushiro's shihakusho, hauling her to her feet. He pressed his face to the metal slats, fury burning in his gaze. "Going down to Muken to see a man who'd put you through hell - what were you _doing_?!"

Toushiro stared up into the hot brown pits of lava in her boyfriend's face, suddenly feeling very small. She shrank in his grip, dropping her gaze. Someone was probably listening in on their conversation - which meant that telling him the truth right now would get her executed.

"I...I..." she stammered weakly. "I...I had a nightmare and...God, I killed Hinamori again. I just...I needed to know that he was locked away."

Ichigo's brown gaze rounded into one of soft understanding, and his grip on the front of Toushiro's shihakusho loosened. Gently, he let her go. The care and concern in his eyes was so genuine that Toushiro immediately had an extremely strong urge to stab herself, her heart snapping neatly in two at the thought of the lie she'd just told.

"...I'm sorry, Shira." Ichigo apologized softly, reaching out to caress the white-haired girl's gold-toned cheek. She leaned into the touch, the stress of the careful game she was now playing wearing her courage thin.

"No...no, I'm sorry." she rebuked, trying to put as much emotion into that one phrase as she could. "I...I shouldn't have done that."

 _I shouldn't be lying to you_ was what she meant, but she knew that he didn't understand that yet, and that knowledge broke her heart. Ichigo took her face in his hands as she tried to hold back the tears pricking at the corners of her large green eyes, worrying over her while she wallowed miserably in her own guilt. But she remained silent, allowing her lie to stand, and Hyourinmaru keened quietly in her soul.

* * *

 **So, yeah. Review. Tell me if the Aizen-Hitsugaya scene was passable.**

 **Angst coming soon! And then fluff. Because fluff. And then more plot. And then...**

 **You get the picture. :D**

 **~avtorSola**


	18. Farewell, my Heart

**A/N: More plot - and the truth is revealed! But watch out - this is where stuff starts to get a smidgen angsty. For good reason, but still...**

* * *

 _"Thinking."_

 _"Zanpakutou."_

* * *

Yamamoto let her out of her jail cell the next day, his old gaze calm with something like resigned understanding. Hyourinmaru was given back into her custody, and she slid the indigo sheath through her light-blue sash with a subdued air, unwilling to meet Yamamoto's gaze. The old man gazed down at her.

"...The next time you wish to speak with Aizen, I recommend that you do not let him provoke you, Hitsugaya-taicho." the old man warned her quietly. "He holds a deep grudge against you and I would not see you harmed."

Hitsugaya bowed her head.

"Yes sir." she murmured, then vanished in a flash of Shunpo.

Toushiro ran through Seireitei, her heart aching. Lying to Ichigo had left a bad taste in her mouth, and she wanted to apologize, but the teenager had gone back to the World of the Living, and she wasn't about to break another unspoken law and use the main Senkaimon to traipse off to the World of the Living without authorization. It wouldn't be worthy of any reprimand - captains and lieutenants often went off to kill some Hollows whenever they got stir-crazy - but it might be suspicious.

That was probably how Yamamoto had found out about her first date with Ichigo so quickly anyhow.

She sighed, leaping back into her house through an open window and instantly sliding out of her dirty uniform and into a clean spare, then sat down heavily on her couch and buried her head in her small hands. Her heart was like lead in her breast, beating painfully slowly, and though she kept her face straight, her distress would be instantly detectable to anyone who knew her well. The very thought of her traitorous actions in Muken made her hate herself, yet at the same time she was suffused with a burning anger, a righteous fury directed at the Royal Family and corrupt noble clans which had brutalized the dragon and phoenix-wielders. There were two versions of morality before her, and she couldn't decide which one to follow.

She needed help - and there was only one person she'd ask for help with something like this.

She stood, changed back out of her shihakusho and into her navy kimono with the turquoise obi - which she managed to work into something like a bow on her back to make it just a bit prettier, sliding the navy-and-silver headband that Ichigo had bought her into her hair. Then she fit her small feet into simple zori and Shunpoed from her room, heading towards the gates at a breakneck pace. She got Jidanbou to wave her through, which he did with a confused blink, and then raced lightly through Junrinan until she reached a familiar old home.

The scent of amanattou flared in her nostrils and she sighed gently, then knocked on the door.

"Just a moment!"

Her grandmother's creaky, but still cheerful, old voice rang in the tiny, two-room home, and there was the distinct sound of worn feet pattering about before the door slid open, revealing a kindly old face. Toushiro breathed a long sigh of relief at her grandmother's appearance, relaxing visibly.

"Obaa-san, I need your help." she said, bowing neatly to her grandmother, her Zanpakutou clutched in both hands. The old woman looked at her in shock for a long moment.

"...Toushiro-chan?" she asked, her old gaze roving over her former grandson's now-curved body in incredulity. Hitsugaya froze. She hadn't told her grandmother about her gender-swap yet. Oops.

"Yeah, it's me." she said, lips twitching up. "...It's kind of a long story."

Her granny looked back into her face, then nodded once, her expression still stunned.

"...yes, come in, dear." she said finally. "...I can see you have a lot to tell me."

Hitsugaya nodded mutely, then took off her shoes, leaned Hyourinmaru against the inner wall, and allowed her grandmother to usher her inside. They both sat down at the small, dimpled wooden table in the middle of the otherwise austere room, the atmosphere somehow tenser than usual, though it was probably to be expected considering Toushiro's sudden femininity. The old woman primly sat down on a cushion, her posture as perfect as ever.

"Now, ask your questions, and then you will tell me what happened to make you like that." she commanded, and Hitsugaya proceeded to sheepishly explain her dilemma to her grandmother. Names were carefully left out, as was any information which could point spies to her purpose, but eventually her meaning was conveyed. The wrinkled old woman sat in silence for a long moment, then lifted her head, a slight twinkle in her old eyes.

"Oh, my dear little boy." she sighed - and Toushiro winced, but said nothing. "You are asking me a very simple question. Your choice is this. Forgive a just man who committed injustices in an attempt to right a wrong and then work to punish those men and women who caused the suffering in the first place, or punish a just man who acted in an unjust way, and ignore the evil that he was trying to correct. Which one sounds more moral to you?"

Toushiro found her expression softening, and she folded her hands in her lap with a sigh. Her grandmother had always been very good at working to the core of a problem in a matter of minutes, and this had been no exception.

"Forgive the misguided do-gooder." she said with a long sigh. "...How do you make it all so easy?"

The old woman smiled thinly.

"Lots of practice, child, and a clear lens with which to see through. You have not yet fully developed that lens, but it will come with time." she said. Then her expression grew stern. "Now, why does my grandson look like a girl, pray tell?"

Toushiro shifted uneasily.

"Um...well, there was an accident with a gender-bending potion in the Research and Development Department." She said sheepishly. "So far, there isn't a counter-medicine yet."

The old woman visibly relaxed, and suddenly a niggling suspicion took root in the pit of Hitsugaya's stomach.

"Oh, so it's only temporary?" the old woman asked. Toushiro nodded carefully.

"Well...yes, if I ask for the counter-potion to be administered when it's made." she said slowly. Her grandmother's face tightened.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, what do you mean by this silly 'if' nonsense?" she scolded. "Stop being ridiculous."

Toushiro swallowed hard.

"I'm not." she said, her voice tight, her emerald eyes slowly widening. Of everyone in Seireitei, she hadn't thought for even a second that her dear grandmother would be opposed to her transition. The old woman had been so supportive of her when she'd been a starving scrap of a child, kicked around and abused by the villagers for her odd looks. Why would that change?

Would that change?

Her grandmother fell silent, and suddenly Toushiro felt like she couldn't breathe.

"...You're not?" she asked slowly. "...What do you mean by that, Toushiro?"

Hitsugaya flinched a bit.

"...I think I'm transgender." she said softly. "And I know I'm gender-questioning - have been for twenty years or so."

For a long moment, there was only the sound of their breathing; Toushiro's quick and nervous, her grandmother's slow and quiet. But finally, the old woman spoke.

"Please leave."

Toushiro felt her heart stop beating. She opened her mouth, gaped like a fish out of water for a few seconds, then forced out a whisper of shock and rapidly swelling desolation.

"...what?"

The old woman turned her face away, but the distinct shine of tears on her face was unhidden by the movement.

"I have a granddaughter and a grandson." the old woman said, her voice thick. "I raised them both. And I just lost my grandson. I wish to grieve alone instead of with a strange woman whom I don't know."

Hitsugaya could feel her blood pounding in her ears, and she unconsciously backed away from her grandmother. The old woman raised her head, stared the young woman full in the face.

"If you find my grandson again, please let me know." she said, her old voice breaking. "But otherwise...don't come back. I don't know you, and I don't think I want to."

Hitsugaya sat stricken, staring blankly, her mind reeling. Then the old woman stood and disappeared into the second room, leaving her once-grandchild sitting alone at the familiar old table. Toushiro looked down at it, her fingers trembling, and traced over the largest of the indentations. That had been where Hinamori had dropped an entire watermelon on the table before she'd been strong enough to carry it. A quivering smile twitched at the corners of her lips at the memory, and suddenly the air was pressing in on her, closing up her windpipe with unshed tears and choking her.

And she ran.

She tore out of the house, barely stopping to grab her shoes and Zanpakutou before she started running into the nearby forest barefoot. Her cheeks were damp - she could feel tears trickling down her face, but she made no sound, the rough panting of her breaths a discordant symphony of the internal pain she was enduring. The sky steadily grew darker as the trees clustered more tightly together, blocking out the weak sunlight of the winter noon sun. A branch, sharp and quick, slashed her cheek as she ran, drawing blood and slicing her skin dangerously close to the corner of her eye.

But finally, as the blind agony began to give way to a drowning grief, Toushiro stumbled to a halt, her feet bruised and bloody from the rough dash. She crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath, trying hard to suppress her tears, but it was too difficult. Ragged sobs spilled from her lips, and she curled against the trunk of a dead tree, wrapping her arms around herself and rocking slowly back and forth, Hyourinmaru's reassuring rumbles ignored in the face of her agony. Tears poured down her face, coming thick and fast, her strangled sobs echoing in her head.

She ducked her head into her knees, screaming quietly into the fabric of her kimono, her white hair tangled. Her feet and face stung where dirt had gotten into the scratches, but that was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil going through her mind.

She'd been disowned by the one person she'd trusted to accept her for who she was.

It was like being stabbed in the stomach with a spoon and having all of her innards scraped out with that same blunt utensil. Her head was underwater and she wasn't breathing, yet somehow she was still able to survive through the drowning. Her heart was torn in half, yet her pulse still thundered in her head, reminding her every moment that she was still alive, still suffering.

Eventually, she passed out against the tree, her face still dreadfully wet with tears, her small body contorted in emotional agony. Even so, she sobbed in her sleep, distraught beyond recognition, and it was in this sorry state that a figure, hooded and cloaked, found her. The figure gazed down at her, one orange eye gleaming with pity, and after sniffing the air curiously and jerking back in surprise, the figure then swept the distressed girl up into a pair of strong arms and carried her through a gleaming portal lined in orange.

Toushiro woke to find that she had been tucked into a warm nest of soft down feathers, a stinging poultice applied liberally to her abused feet and the deep scratch on her face. Hyourinmaru's sheathed length was cuddled against her chest, and a warm bowl of chicken soup simmered on the flat stone situated by the nest. Slowly she sat up, sniffling pathetically, her heart still heavier than lead. She curled up into a ball again, putting her head on her knees, and bit her lip to keep from sobbing.

"You should eat, Fledgling."

She looked up slowly to see that a tall, lithe man with long, flaming red hair, pointed ears, and piercing orange eyes was watching her from a high stone ledge in the cave. His toffee skin was patterned with a myriad of crimson tattoos, an odd mix of Celtic and tribal in nature, that swirled across every inch of his visible skin in exotic, intricate designs. As he breathed, the tattoos shimmered with faint fire, a glowing, emberlike power running through him. He was shirtless, and wore only a loincloth-like garment made of a gold belt which went around his waist and two rectangular pieces of vivid scarlet and gold cloth covering his front and back, leaving the sides of his long, tattooed legs on clear display. There were intricately-embossed gold cuffs about his wrists, but other than that his body was bare of jewelry. A long red tail snaked out from the base of his spine, and a pair of leathery wings were neatly folded on his back.

He watched her carefully, lips curling in a grinning leer to reveal fanged canines.

She blinked, slow realization dawning and breaking through her grief. The dragon-in-a-human-skin smiled down at her.

"You recognize my kind then, Fledgling? That is good - we have not seen a Tamashino Kenmeinarei mature enough to realize our existence in a great many years." the dragon said, leaping to the ground far below and landing silently in a splayed, catlike posture. He approached his wintry guest on all fours, slinking closer until he loomed over her, orange eyes shining with mystic fire. She looked up at him fearlessly, standing her ground despite the anguish gnawing hungrily on the inside of her soul and he watched her closely for a moment before withdrawing a pace and sitting down in a cross-legged fashion that revealed all too much of his thighs. He pointed at the bowl.

"Eat."

Slowly, Toushiro reached for the bowl, and seeing that there was no spoon, regarded it with trepidation for a brief moment before Hyourinmaru's gentle urging prompted her to drink the warm soup. She lifted the bowl to her lips and drank deeply.

The dragon sitting across from her nodded approvingly, a low, rumbling purr sounding in the back of his throat. The air moved as he breathed, the faint sunlight of the cave entrance glinting off the gold on his wrists. A gold werelight floated in the air at the apex of the cave's high recesses, and smaller werelights in glowing scarlet floated beneath the points of each of the myriad stalagmites, augmenting the available light. Toushiro felt a deep-seated calm soothe her aching spirit, a sense of intense belonging sweeping through her. It was as if the very air and earth were calling her heart home.

Hyourinmaru roared in her soul.

"Your Kenmeinarei spirit teaches you well, Fledgling." the red-dragon commented lightly. "Most Tamashino would ask for utensils."

Toushiro slowly put the bowl down, her gaze fixed on the stone floor and the nest of feathers she was sitting in.

"...do you not use eating utensils?" she asked quietly. The dragon across from her lifted a flaming eyebrow.

"No - it is considered extremely impolite. It lowers us to the realm of mortal human souls." he said loftily, eyes narrowing in something like anger, though Hitsugaya had no idea what she'd done wrong. "Only those phoenixes and dragons who are partnered with a human soul deign to use them, and that is only because of their love for their soul-partner."

Toushiro's white eyebrows shot into her hairline in surprise. Hyourinmaru chuckled in the back of her head.

"I see." she said quietly. The dragon regarded her carefully.

"...you are troubled." he stated plainly. Hitsugaya said nothing for a long time, confused by the statement.

 _"_ _ _Dragons and phoenixes never ask for another to share information, fledgling queen."__ Hyourinmaru told her softly. _"_ _ _Instead, we open with plain statements that are simple for the other party to shrug off as a statement of fact. Direct questions are rare unless they are rhetorical or purposed to gain another's permission. And before you contest me, I am different - I coexist with you."__

Understanding what the red-dragon-man meant now, Toushiro allowed her head to droop.

"...I was disowned by my grandmother." she whispered, voice cracking. "Because I am transgender."

The dragon blinked owlishly at her, catlike orange eyes fixated on the ice-wielder.

"There is no reason for such an action." the dragon said firmly. Toushiro recognized the lure when she heard it. The statement-questions were unusual, but now that she knew, it became more obvious. She winced. Her question about the utensils had probably been rude, then.

"I do not understand her actions either." she murmured, tears filling her eyes again. "But it hurts, whatever the reason."

The red dragon frowned.

"The Kenmeinarei easily change gender when they wish to." he said thoughtfully. "You are Kenmeinarei - such an occurrence would be welcomed in our community."

"It is not the same in Seireitei." Hitsugaya said brokenly, unwilling to pursue the odd term. She curled back in on herself. "Thank you for helping me."

The red dragon stared at her.

"Kenmeinarei are honor-bound to assist their kin when they are suffering." he said bluntly. "You may be Tamashino Kenmeinarei, but the Tamashino are still Kenmeinarei, and beyond that, you have not had your First Flight. In our society, you would be a child, and it would be every Kenmeinarei's duty to teach and protect you."

Toushiro set her head on her knees, chewing on her lower lip.

"...I do not know what Tamashino Kenmeinarei means." she stated. The red dragon tipped his head to the side, the ghost of a fanged smile crossing over his face.

"The Kenmeinarei are higher-power god-spirits than the shinigami." he explained carefully. "Dragons and phoenixes are the most powerful Kenmeinarei. We rule over and maintain the existence of the Aspects. An example: shinigami __police__ Death, one of the main Aspects, but your Royal Family __maintains__ Death, which is the duty of a Kenmeinarei spirit. A Tamashino Kenmeinarei, however, is you - a Kenmeinarei spirit which has fused with a human soul. I believe you refer to your Kenmeinarei as a Zanpakutou."

Understanding swept over the young captain like a cool wave and she sighed. So many questions and no way to ask without an awkward statement.

"I see."

The red-dragon stood and stretched, his tattooed skin rippling. He gave her a sympathetic look.

"I am Akaen." he offered. "My Aspect is Wildfire. My mate's Aspect is Tamefire - she is a phoenix. Kenmeinarei live in a dimension separate from any of the human-soul worlds - the same one your Royal Family lives in."

Hitsugaya blinked owlishly. Akaen smiled faintly.

"I could see the questions on your tongue, Fledgling." he said by way of explanation. Toushiro bowed her head, still quiet. Her grandmother's reaction still weighed heavily on her mind, and though she now knew the right course of action to take when it came to Aizen (damn, forgiving the bastard would be hard), it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"...thank you, Akaen. I am Hitsugaya...er..." she paused. "Hitsugaya Toushiro, for now. I'm going to end up changing my name."

Akaen nodded, then spun around once, stamping his bare feet on the smooth ground in the quick drumming rhythm, a few of his tattoos shimmering brightly with orange fire. A glowing orange portal materialized behind him, and once it solidified, he turned back to face his young guest.

"I think you should go home now, fledgling." he said gently. "I and my kin will continue to watch over you now that I know you, but I understand that you are hurting. You need someone you trust to comfort you."

Slowly, Toushiro stood, accepting without question the unspoken command, and stepped carefully towards the portal. Her feet, still raw from her barefoot sprint through the forest, ached a bit, even though she now wore her zori. Akaen watched her, expression tinged by a brotherly concern, then gestured at the glowing door.

"Merely picture in your mind where you wish to go, and step through. The Deep-magic will do the rest." he told her quietly. "If you ever need my assistance, merely speak my name, and I will hear you. I will not always help you, however. Some battles you must fight yourself."

Hitsugaya held back the welling sorrow in her chest, the flash-flares of pain temporarily ignored until they could be properly released, and nodded to the dragon who had found her so distraught and made sure she was safe.

"Thank you, Akaen-san." she whispered, and then she vanished into the glowing orange portal and was gone.

* * *

Numb all over and trembling from the effort it was taking her not to burst into a second round of fresh sobs, Toushiro climbed up onto her bed and curled up, burying her face in her pillow. She felt shattered, the betrayal of trust and kinship cutting her so deeply that she was sure she bled her heart dry. Slowly, as her walls broke down her resolve to be strong, she began to sob quietly into the clean cushion, abandoning all of her icy shell to cry. The cream walls of her bedroom held no judgment, the mahogany furniture solemn witness to her pain, and so she allowed herself to break down.

The sense of homely belonging that had buoyed her aching heart while in the thick-aired realm of the Kenmeinarei had vanished the second she'd returned to Soul Society, and with it, so had the last vestiges of her resolve.

Outside the front door, Hinamori and Matsumoto exchanged long looks. Hitsugaya had been missing in action for the past six hours, and though Jidanbou reported seeing her flash out of Seireitei, he had not recalled letting her back in. But the reiatsu so tangled and knotted by anguish was unmistakable winter, and there was nobody else who had reiatsu that cold and stormy.

"Rukia-san, would you mind fetching Ichigo?" Hinamroi asked, staring blankly at her sibling's closed door. "I don't know if Shiro-chan will appreciate having him here, but she seems really upset."

Rukia glanced at the house with worry in her violet stare but nodded without a word and Shunpoed off in the direction of the Kuchiki Senkaimon. Hinamori and Matsumoto, however, crept up to the house and slowly pushed on the front door. It was unlocked, and so the pair crept inside, kicking off their shoes and shutting the door behind them. Hinamori stepped into her sibling's kitchen and living room, searching for the snow-capped captain, before motioning quietly to Matsumoto to follow her to Hitsugaya's bedroom.

They paused briefly outside the ice-wielder's door and froze. Hitsugaya's voice, cracking and weak, wept softly behind the closed door. Hinamori's expression became sad in a surprisingly empathetic manner, and she looked up at the stunned Matsumoto with that same grave solemnity.

"Don't try to talk to her yet." she murmured to her companion. "Hitsugaya-chan won't talk until she cries herself out."

Matsumoto nodded wordlessly, and then the pair slid the door open and stepped through, their footsteps light.

Toushiro lay crumpled on her bed, her arms locked in a death grip around her pillow, her face hidden in the fluffy item. Her feet were covered in small scratches, and her shoulders shook violently, her sobs muffled by the pillow in her mouth. Matsumoto stopped short at the pitiful sight of her strong, icy captain so broken, then let out a soft sigh and slipped past Hinamori's outstretched arm. She clambered up onto her captain's bed, a worried Momo close behind her, then sat next to the distraught young woman and gently pried the pillow from Hitsugaya's grip.

"N-no! St-st-stop...don't..." the girl cried as the pillow was extracted from her hands, revealing a pretty, young face blotched red with tears, marred by a long scratch. Matsumoto sighed, gently pinning the weakly-struggling girl's hands with one hand, then scooped the young woman up and settled her into a warm embrace. Momo came up on the other side of her sibling, neatly cradling the sobbing young woman in a hug-sandwich.

Toushiro slowly relaxed into the warmth of the two holding her, then snapped and buried her face in Matsumoto's shoulder, muffling her despairing screams in the cloth of her lieutenant's shihakusho. Matsumoto and Hinamori held the ice-wielder close as she cried frozen tears silently, the warmth of their quiet love for the transgender woman sitting between them melting the flood of sorrow in Hitsugaya's heart. Matsumoto began rubbing circles into the tense ridges of Toushiro's lean back after about fifteen minutes, kindly trying the calm the heartbroken woman, and slowly the ice-wielder responded. Her screaming sobs quieted to a soft weeping, the strength of her grip on her lieutenant and sister lessening.

Once she had calmed enough to be somewhat quiet, the two girls tucked the emotionally-exhausted woman into bed. Hinamori then slid under the quilted bedspread and sheets and cuddled up next to her sibling, like she used to do back in the Rukongai when they were both small.

Hitsugaya curled into her sister's collarbone, seeking solace in the familiar scent of peaches, then shut her teary jade eyes. She felt Momo's hand running through her hair soothingly, and as the painful minutes faded into aching hours, Rukia and Ichigo's distinctive reiatsu tinged the air about her.

But for the moment, she clung to her sister.

After all, Momo was the last memory she now had of those happy times back in Rukongai.

When her grandmother still loved her enough to overlook her differences.

* * *

 **So. OOC? Still IC enough to be passable? And did anyone else see that plot point coming?**

 **Review & tell me your thoughts!**


	19. Stand by You

**A/N: MORE ANGSTYNESS. And some cute IchiHitsu. Cuz I'm a sucker for these two. And also a sucker for Protective!Zangetsu (yeah, the canon one).**

* * *

Ichigo showed up after Toushiro had appeared to slip into a restless doze, her heartbreak obvious even in her sleep, Rukia trailing him. Matsumoto, who was busily brewing up a warm bowl of soup, met them at Hitsugaya's front door, her expression tired.

"She's asleep for now." the blue-eyed woman said, her tone quiet with concern. "...I've never, ever seen her cry like that."

Ichigo felt his heart flip on its head, and he stepped forward, chocolate scowl determined.

"What happened?" he demanded. Matsumoto shrugged.

"I don't know." She confessed. "I received word that Taicho had been released from the First Division's jail this morning around eleven, and she didn't reappear again until about five or six. Only Jidanbou saw her during that time - apparently she had been heading into Rukongai in plain clothes."

Ichigo slumped back against the countertop, head in his hands.

"So we don't know anything." he said with a sigh, massaging his nodded with an equally heavy sigh, then handed a bowl to Rukia and and the other to Ichigo.

"Take those back to Momo-chan and Taicho." she said. "I'll be along in a moment."

Ichigo and Rukia nodded agreeably and took the bowls back, their socked feet padding quietly on the wooden floor. They walked silently into Hitsugaya's bedroom. At the sight of the picture before them, Rukia bit her lip; Ichigo's nose scrunched up in worry.

Momo glanced up at them, her slender body still curled close to her sister's thicker, curvier frame. The lieutenant's face was anxious, and with good reason. Toushiro's gold-toned face was flushed faintly and it was clear that she had the chills. Tear-tracks were clearly evident on her pinked cheeks, and her expression was horribly defeated. A long cut at the corner of one eye was puffy and red, irritated by the salt of her tears.

"She's cried herself sick." Momo sighed sadly. "She used to do this every blue moon when she was a lot younger."

Ichigo hurried to his girlfriend's side, only pausing to put the warm bowl down on the bedside table before he reached out and gently pressed a large palm to the gold-skinned girl's forehead. A faint heat met his hand. The fever was minor, thankfully. Instantly, he felt his worry diminish. The young woman wasn't in any danger. She only needed someone to comfort and care for her.

"I'll go get a cool washcloth." he said without thinking, hurrying into Toushiro's adjoining master bathroom. He barely had time to admire the large, light-filled room and large, smoky-glass-hidden shower. A deep tub was in another corner of the room, a stack of dry washcloths folded neatly in a wicker basket beside it. He snatched a light blue one, wet it with cold water, then wrung it out so that it wouldn't drip before flitting back into Toushiro's room and gently folding it onto her forehead.

The distraught, dozing girl stirred, cracking open puffy emerald eyes to stare up at Momo, Ichigo, Rukia, and Matsumoto, who had just entered the room.

"Ichigo?" she whispered, focusing on the carrot-top, whose hand loomed large in her vision. The tall substitute promptly sat down on the edge of the bed, leaned down and pecked her cheek, smiling tenderly.

"Hey Toushiro." he said sincerely, cupping her kissed cheek in his hand and rubbing his calloused thumb over the smooth warmth of her skin. "How are you doing?"

The white-haired girl seemed to choke back some rising crest of emotional agony before answering, her head still tipped against Momo's collar.

"...I'm fine." she murmured quietly, trying unsuccessfully to hide the standing tears in her emerald eyes. Ichigo's orange eyebrows furrowed together. Rukia, Rangiku, and Momo watched him carefully, choosing to let the young man comfort his keen young girlfriend for the moment.

"No, you're not, Shira." Ichigo corrected gently. "Please don't lie to me."

For some reason, that sent the waterworks on full blast, and Toushiro started sobbing. Ichigo panicked a little bit. Quickly, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the petite woman's closed mouth, effectively silencing her. She melted into him, her sobs tapering off as she stared in surprise, and he drew back a hairsbreadth, just enough to speak. Momo, Rangiku, and Rukia gaped at the affection in shock.

"Shhh...shh, it's okay, Shira." he murmured, kissing her again. "Don't cry."

She stuttered , blubbering like a baby between the kisses, then laughed weakly.

"You...you can't just kiss me whenever you want me to shut up..." she protested faintly, the wisp of humor causing a smile to erupt on the substitute's face.

"I think I can." he countered. Then his expression became serious again. "...Will you please tell us what upset you enough to make you sick?"

Toushiro blinked up at him slowly, her face coming back into some semblance of wavering control. Then she swallowed hard.

"...Obaa-san...told me to leave. She...she disowned me." she said, her voice thick. Momo's ensuing tightening of her grip on her sick sister was visible. Hitsugaya hiccuped wetly, tears sliding back down the familiar track on her face. "...She told me...that she didn't know me...and that I shouldn't return unless...unless..."

A broken sob escaped her, but she powered through.

"...unless I brought her grandson back..." she finished after a moment, staring up at the ceiling, saltwater flowing free down her face. For a long moment, there was utter silence as the event processed, and then Momo, her voice also heavy and thick with grief, broke it.

"If she can't have two granddaughters...then she doesn't have any." Hinamori choked out, her anger vivid but laced with aching sorrow. Toushiro shook her head.

"Don't do that." the white-haired girl rebuked softly, her voice weak. "She still loves you. And...disowning me hurt her...I could see it..."

Hinamori glared.

"If she doesn't love my __sister__ enough to not care about her gender, then she doesn't have any right loving me. You don't pick favorites with family." the peach-girl said heatedly, drawing a sad look from the curvy little woman grieving in her warm grasp. "I mean it, Shiro-chan. She can't get rid of you without getting rid of me too. I made the mistake of turning against you once and I __refuse__ to do that again."

Matsumoto covered her mouth with her hand, tears standing in the woman's blue eyes. She'd met Hitsugaya's sweet once-grandmother a few times - she couldn't believe that the old woman had been so strict.

Ichigo, however, merely sat quietly beside Toushiro, his dark, Hollow-rimmed reiatsu strangely calm. Then the almost-man let out a deep breath and exhaled. A swirling white shape materialized next to him, gold eyes glinting, a blue tongue hanging out of the white mouth.

The shinigami, Toushiro included, gaped in shock.

"Yo, King. Callin' me out to knock some sense into ya Queen?" the Hollow-version Ichigo drawled. Ichigo rolled his eyes, brown gaze softening.

"Zangetsu." he said softly. "Come on."

The Hollow - __Zangetsu?!__ \- fell silent for a long minute, staring deep into his color-copy's eyes. Then he groaned.

"Ugh. King, this is gonna make it rain in ya inner world." he complained. "An' ya know I hate the rain."

"I know." Ichigo replied quietly. "But I need you to help 'knock sense' into Toushiro, as you so eloquently put it."

The Hollow sulked for a few minutes before nodded grumpily and glaring down at the staring, white-haired girl.

"Hey Queenie." he said, his tone abruptly, inexplicably turning gentler than the rough drawl he'd spoken to Ichigo in. "I'm Zangetsu - that idiot's Zanpakutou."

He jerked his head in Ichigo's direction, ignoring the protest of 'hey!' that came from his wielder.

Toushiro looked askance at Ichigo, who merely shrugged.

"I'm a Hollow-Quincy-Shinigami-human hybrid." he said. "My dad is a shinigami-human hybrid, my mom was a Quincy-Hollow hybrid. Aizen's fault. Zangetsu is a Vasto Lorde, but he's also my pain-in-the-ass Zanpakutou. Hence why I can call him into the physical world, unlike most Vizards. But because he's mostly Hollow, he can hang around the physical world for as long as he wants until I push him back. Didn't start happening until the asshole decided he wanted me to get Bankai the proper way - after I used Mugetsu, no less."

The white Zangetsu stuck out his blue tongue at his wielder, glaring at him with sulky golden eyes and pitch scelera. Then he turned back to the heartsick young woman, muttering unkind things about Ichigo's intelligence.

"Let's go back ta ignorin' the idiot now." he drawled roughly. "King wants me ta tell ya a story. He doesn' think its gonna make ya feel better, mind ya, but he's hopin' you'll be able to see that the world ain't crashin' down around yer pretty ears just 'cuz a batty ol' lady can't see how fuckin' sexy ya are."

Toushiro's face flushed in mixed anger and embarrassment, but before she could protest either the 'sexy' or 'batty ol' lady' comment, the pale Zanpakutou had a clammy hand on her too-warm face, gently tracing over the contours of her face with curious fingertips.

"...Ya weren't the only one ta get the cold shoulder after comin' out of the closet." Zangetsu said, a touch sorrowfully, though the wicked playfulness glinting in his eyes spoiled the effect. "King over there lost that Quincy-friend of his after he and the big dude started holdin' hands. They had a massive blow-up over it. King wouldn' move fer few days. Took me yellin' about killin' some stupid shinigami and the big dude's coddlin' before he stuck his nose back out the door."

Momo, Rukia, Toushiro, and Rangiku stiffened at the 'killing shinigami' comment, but Ichigo, who was gazing intently at his sick girlfriend, ignored the words, and since the Hollow-Zanpakutou made no move to actually act on that intent, they warily relaxed. Zangetsu grinned his too-wide leer.

"But anyway, the rest of King's friends decided that unless the stupid arrow-up-his-ass-four-eyes Quincy could act civil towards King, then they'd kinda ignore him." he said, shrugging. "Which makes sense. Some of the stuff the Quincy said ta King was fuckin' rude - even by my standards. So now the fairy-princess chick, the big dude, and the ass-kickin'-karate-bitch all are ignorin' the four-eyed bastard unless he acts nice ta King. And slowly, he's been startin' ta come back around. Actually apologized for callin' King a slut the other day without a promptin'."

Toushiro blinked slowly, shifting uncomfortably under the too-warm covers. The very idea of someone calling Ichigo - __of all people!__ \- a slut was almost too much for her to imagine. She swallowed hard, tears pricking in the corners of her vision.

"So..." she murmured gently. "...So what?"

Zangetsu cocked his white head and looked at her.

"Sometimes the people who really care 'bout ya will change their minds for yer sake. It just takes time." he said. "But if they don't, then ya gotta respect it, Queenie. They made their decision, and the only thing that's gonna happen is that they're gonna miss out. And it's gonna hurt - but that's why ya got other friends."

Hitsugaya felt her heart crack a little more at the blunt words, but deep down, she understood what Zangetsu and Ichigo were trying to tell her. They knew what rejection felt like. They knew how to get over it. And they would pull her back up.

Zangetsu had been right. The story didn't make her feel better - not even in the sick schadenfreude-like manner that shinigami often viewed others' suffering. But it at the same time made her understand that she wasn't alone. And that helped in a way not much else could.

She bit her lip, then closed her eyes on the tears threatening to fall down her face, and suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, pulling her up from where she lay in the pillows and blankets into a firm embrace. A scent like old spices filled her nose, her face pressed firmly against a strong chest. Slowly, her body trembling somewhat, chills racing down her arms and legs, she leaned into Ichigo's warm hug and began to cry - yet again. The substitute held her securely as she softly let out the sadness, murmuring sweet nothings into the shell of her ear.

Part of her hated herself for being so weak, but at the same time, the pent-up flood of dammed emotion deep in her soul was finally being allowed to drain away. At a snail's pace, true, but the alleviation of even a slight amount of that pressure felt heavenly.

Zangetsu's clammy squeeze came quickly on her shoulder, a curious sense of want in his dragging touch, and then he evaporated back into Ichigo's inner world. She could sense her sister, lieutenant, and newfound friend all huddling around her in a tight, safe cocoon of support, their reiatsu flickering gently over her skin, and slowly her chills began to subside - though she still felt unnaturally warm. Cradled in that nest of warmth, she slowly began to drift back off to sleep, hurt but healing, her friends' strength carrying her effortlessly through.

Ichigo felt it acutely when Toushiro fell back asleep. Her shoulders gradually relaxed, her breathing slowing and deepening, and she nuzzled unconsciously into his shirt. He sighed deeply, looking down at the young woman in his grasp, chocolate gaze melting into puddly pudding.

"...She's asleep again." he murmured, gently moving his hand back to her feverish forehead. The damp cloth - now warm - had fallen off her head when he'd scooped her up into a hug, and he tucked that into a pocket as he carefully settled the petite young woman back into the pillows and blankets. Rukia jerked the damp cloth from his pocket and raised her reiatsu just enough to chill the damp water, then folded the cooled square back over the sleeping captain's forehead. Her expression was somewhat flinty.

"You better take damn good care of her, Strawberry." the new lieutenant threatened, her violet glare dark. Ichigo glared right back at the short shinigami.

"Why wouldn't I?" he challenged. "I understand better than anyone else what she's going through."

Matsumoto raised a thin blonde eyebrow.

"She's also your girlfriend, Ichigo." she said, puzzled that it hadn't been the first thing Ichigo had mentioned after Rukia's comment. The substitute rolled his eyes.

"Irrelevant." he snapped, but his scowl softened considerably. "I'd help her through this even if we weren't dating. Nobody deserves to be put down - and there's a clear difference between putting someone down and merely disapproving of another's actions."

There was a short silence, and then Rukia piped up again, blinking.

"You really __have__ matured, Ichigo." she observed quietly. Ichigo blushed a bit, scowling at the ground.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" he grouched. The three lieutenants laughed.

"Five people and a cat-" Rukia started.

"Oh, would you people shut up!"

* * *

 **Reviews are lovely things! And the ones I've gotten recently have been wonderful! Thank you!**


	20. Burn Off

**A/N: Sorry this is late - I ended up writing an angsty!Hitsugaya oneshot called _Amber Submission_ , and everything went out the window. But now I come bearing gifts of fluffy cuteness! Enjoy, my dear readers!**

 **Also, I realize that I haven't been putting in disclaimers. But then again, the site name...**

* * *

Toushiro was sick for the next few days, and though quieted by her grandmother's outright rejection, still managed to retain a percentage of willpower. A __large__ percentage of willpower. Toushiro was nothing if not resilient, and although she was deeply grieved by her grandmother's words, Ichigo, Rukia, Momo, and Rangiku all working in tandem had quickly removed the dark, bleak thoughts from her mind. Momo, Rukia, and Rangiku were still taking turns spending the night at her house though - she tended to be more gloomy in the evenings.

Tonight, however, it looked as if the cycle had been broken.

"Matsumoto, get out of my kitchen."

The busty lieutenant pouted, slowly lowering the spatula.

"But __Taicho__..." she whined. Hitsugaya sniffed haughtily from beneath her blanket. She wasn't sick anymore, but the odd feeling of dragging an oversized fluffy comforter around the house had grown on her, and she rather enjoyed the awkward cape it made as it trailed on the floor behind her short, curvy frame. Ichigo had once said it made her look like she was drowning in fluff. She'd taken a leaf out of Rukia's book and kicked him in the shins. He didn't comment on it anymore. But Rukia had been honored when Toushiro had mentioned it in passing, and the two young women had spent several cheerful having a nice laugh at Ichigo's expense as Rukia recounted their escapades in the World of the Living before the Aizen incident.

"Matsumoto." Toushiro said severely, and the blonde woman slumped in defeat, putting the cooking utensils away.

"Alright, alright, you don't have to be so mean." she pouted, huffing and crossing her arms over her ample cleavage - accentuating it. Toushiro raised an unimpressed eyebrow. The move had been exceedingly familiar when she'd been male - now it was getting rarer.

"Ichigo's the bisexual one - I'm not." she said dryly. "Quit trying to show me your boobs, Matsumoto."

The lieutenant 'hmphed' in annoyance, but conceded to her captain's wishes and left the kitchen. As a thank you to the foursome who had coaxed her into life again after the old woman's blunt disowning, Toushiro had decided to cook dinner for the five of them. But one thing had led to another, and eventually Kuchiki-taicho, Ukitake-taicho and Kyoraku-taicho had been included. Ise-fukutaicho was coming as well - though Hitsugaya suspected that was more so to keep Kyoraku in line.

But anyhow, she now had to cook for nine people - herself included - and was almost completely lost as to how to begin.

"Need help, Shira?"

She turned on her heel, blinking owlishly at Ichigo, who had appeared in her kitchen doorway, dressed in a comfortable spare kimono that Renji had let him borrow for the time being. She sweatdropped a bit.

"Uh..."

"I'll take that as a yes." Ichigo said decisively, moving into the modernized kitchen with a knowing smirk. "What did you want to make?"

"...Um...I was thinking okonomiyaki or chicken teriyaki...Hey, wait, you're not supposed to be helping! Go away - I can do this myself!"

Toushiro tried to shoo her boyfriend from the kitchen, but Ichigo dodged with a grin.

"Oh, come on, I wanna help!" he said. "Less work for you, right?"

Toushiro grumbled, scowling, pulling her blanket up around her ears and looking for all the world like a disgruntled blue burrito. Ichigo tried hard not to laugh, but the image of his tiny girlfriend glowering at him from within a blue cocoon, her face barely peeking up over the fluffy edge of the comforter, was both adorable and hilarious in a way he __knew__ she wouldn't appreciate. He tried to bite his tongue, but his smile wouldn't go away. Toushiro's green gaze flashed with lightning. Suddenly thunder cracked sharply outside, a dark peal of December fury echoing through the cold sky. Ichigo stared.

The faintest curl of icy bluewhite reiatsu was curling from Hitsugaya's long eyelashes.

"...Toushiro?" he asked cautiously, glancing out the window to see that the heavens were beginning to scab over with dark thunderclouds. The white-haired girl blinked at him, the flash of ire gone. The storm paused, then began to dissipate.

"What?" she asked flatly. Ichigo felt his lips twitch.

"...the sky?" he tried. Toushiro looked outside. She gaped for a moment.

"Oh shit." she mumbled, biting her lip. "...Yamamoto's going to get on my tail about that if it keeps happening."

Ichigo shook his head, still smiling faintly at his girlfriend's temper and the inadvertent results of her spitfire temperament.

"Why is it that all the girls I know except my sisters are capable of kicking my ass?" he asked rhetorically. Toushiro's feet shuffled softly on the tile kitchen floor, and she huffed.

"Well, what about Inoue?"

"...Her food is lethal."

"...oh. Yeah. I almost forgot about that."

Ichigo's face brightened up at the expression of disgust on his petite girlfriend's face, the wrinkle in her nose setting off the mental cute-meter he had in his mind. She glared at him as he started to grin at her again.

"Stop that."

"But why?" he complained. She frowned at him.

"You're being weird." She accused.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Kurosaki, do I need to come over there and kick your ass?"

A sudden shudder went down Ichigo's spine at the annoyed address. He'd gotten used to hearing his given name come out her pink mouth. The surname felt cold by comparison. He groaned inwardly. Different tactic, then.

"I can't help it - you're just too cute for your own good."

"I'm not cute!" Toushiro snapped, blushing deep rose, her golden skin pinking rapidly. Ichigo grinned widely at that. Gotcha.

"Beautiful, then? Or gorgeous? Or how about __sexy-as-hell__?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eye. Zangetsu wolf-whistled in the back of his mind, and Toushiro's pink blush went bright, flaming scarlet. She glared at him, both flustered and pleased by the compliments yet also embarrassed beyond belief. So she hid her face with the blue blanket.

"God, I __hate__ you." her voice was muffled, but the crossness in her tone wasn't angry, only grouchy and embarrassed and glowing with an unwilling smile, and Ichigo took advantage of it.

"...Can I help you cook now?"

"No!"

"...please?"

"...wash your hands first."

* * *

"The teriyaki was delicious, Hitsugaya-taicho! I didn't know you could cook like that."

Toushiro shone a little bit, her expression relatively cheerful.

"Thank you, Ise-fukutaicho." she said politely, her calm expression serene in a very Unohana-like fashion. "And to be frank, I didn't know I could cook either."

Ichigo huffed from where he sat next to the white-haired young woman.

"That's because you can't. I did all the- Ow!"

The shinigami gazed in amusement at Ichigo and Toushiro, the former of whom was rubbing his side where Toushiro had jabbed a swift, sharp elbow into his ribs. The brown eyes watered.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo, did you say something?" Hitsugaya asked, her voice deceptively calm, though her face was a smidgen pink. Ichigo sweatdropped, shaking his head.

"...No." he answered weakly

"I didn't think so."

In all actuality, Toushiro __had__ made most of the food. It just hadn't tasted exactly...decent. She hadn't practiced cooking in a long time, to be fair, but nevertheless, Ichigo had been the one to fix it (thank god for Yuzu's lessons). However, he'd been unconditionally kicked out of the kitchen once Toushiro began baking - though apparently she'd been about halfway done and merely had to begin a second stage in the process or something similar. Not even he knew what was for dessert. Nobody did. And Toushiro had even put up a kido barrier around the kitchen to prevent anyone from sniffing their way into a correct guess.

"So, Hitsugaya-chan, how is the Tenth taking the news of your gender-switch?" Kyoraku asked, swilling his tea morosely around in his cup. He'd been very sad when Toushiro had point-blank refused to serve sake, but unfortunately the sake-loving captain's puppy-eyes were a routine test of willpower for most of the highest-ranking shinigami. Only Ukitake still had his moments of weakness.

Toushiro's face soured, her lips pressing together in a thin line.

"Depends on who you ask." she replied. "Most of my subordinates don't care - I can still release Shikai and Bankai, and we're still the most efficient division in Seireitei despite Matsumoto's constant slacking-"

"Hey!"

"-so there haven't been many complaints. The nobles are the problem, however - they've been very vocal about my physical appearance disrupting their lives. Some of the few who are more unfriendly to Rukongai-bred shinigami have started calling for me to sequester myself until Kurotsuchi can return me to my previous state. One or two have even tried to convince me to turn myself over to the Twelfth." Hitsugaya finished dispassionately. "If this keeps up, I'm going to have to perform a few court-martials for severe disrespect of a commanding officer and start tossing people in jail."

The other captains winced, Kuchiki-taicho included. Ichigo linked his fingers with Toushiro's under the table, squeezing her hand gently as she tensed with annoyance and hurt.

"Do you think it will be worse when you come out, Hitsugaya-chan?" Kyoraku prodded, his tone not unkind. Toushiro allowed a cold glint of wintry fury to enter her expression, which curdled into something sour almost immediately.

"Oh, much worse." She hissed, though she did not elaborate upon why. Then a loud beeping sound shot through the kido barrier around her kitchen, and she went rigid, a sudden smirk playing about the corners of her lips. Slowly, she stood up from the table, looking excited, then turned around and stopped in front of the tiny liquor cabinet she kept in the corner of her dining room. The entire party stared as she pulled out a narrow bottle of rum with a broken seal. The bottle had obviously been used beforehand.

"...Taicho?" Matsumoto asked in disbelief. Hitsugaya looked up, and with a wave of her hand, lowered the kido barrier around her kitchen.

"All of you, come with me." she said, her voice light. "I want you all to see something."

Curious, the party of shinigami followed the small woman into her kitchen and pressed up against the walls as she rummaged around in her refrigerator for a few seconds before carefully pulling a delicate-looking cake out and setting it in a saucepan on the stove. Hinamori squealed at the sight, as did Rukia, and even Byakuya looked suitably impressed. Nanao gaped blankly, but the others merely looked puzzled, and were even more so when the young woman hit the lights with a deft flick of her fingers.

But then Toushiro uncapped the bottle of rum, poured a light drizzle over the cloud-like cake sitting in the saucepan, and with a wicked little smirk, lit a match.

The shinigami all made various squawks of shock as the cake burst into blue, violet, green, and vivid orange fire. The alcohol burned quickly, evaporating quickly enough to prevent damage to the cake, but the effect was mesmerizing. The fire went out with a sudden shimmer, and the lights came back on to reveal the Cheshire grin on Toushiro's face and a white cake tinged with pretty ridges of black.

"Baked Alaska flambe for you all." she said with a smirk of pride. "Alcohol is burned off, I promise, but you'll be able to taste the rum."

Byakuya blinked in surprise, exchanging a long look with Rukia, whose mouth was watering discreetly.

"I did not know you were such an accomplished baker, Hitsugaya-taicho." he said, clearly in awe though trying to hide it. Toushiro went a shade pink.

"Hinamori and I have been baking once or twice a week since October." she said with a smile. "It's kind of become a hobby."

"Still though - baked alaska?" Ichigo commented blankly, in shock. "My sister Yuzu almost has trouble doing things that complicated, and she's the one who was picked up by a culinary school about five years before she's due to graduate."

Toushiro snickered behind a hand.

"Well, I wanted do surprise everyone somehow...the last few days were hard, but I got through them because of you. But I also really felt like setting something on fire. Baked alaska flambe was my solution." she said, self-consciously brushing her hair out of her eyes. It had grown about an inch or three in the two months since it had been artfully shaped into a pixie-bob haircut, and was steadily turning into a shaggy, sexy mess worthy of a punk-rock chick. But her gaze flashed green flame beneath the white fringe, and the cathartic release evident in the symbolic burning became so heartbreakingly clear that ignoring it was impossible even for Byakuya, Shunsui, Juushiro, and Nanao to miss, though they weren't privy to the cause.

Ichigo sighed then. And without caring that there were other captains and lieutenants standing in the same room, he leaned down and kissed Toushiro on the mouth.

"Eek! Ichi-"

She managed to get in a single syllable before his lips were on hers, her cool, smooth chin and cheek gently guided with a large, warm hand. Toushiro's mind went blanker and blanker the longer that the lip-lock endured, but after what seemed like a second in her mind and was probably a smidgen longer than appropriate for actual society, Ichigo pulled away. She stared up at him in mixed surprise and fluttering adrenaline, heart racing beneath her skin. There had been no need in the kiss, no desire or lust or want. Just affection, a gentle, understanding love, and a calming maturity that Toushiro hadn't expected.

It had caught her off guard and yet...yet it didn't bother her.

"...I guess this is your __sweet__ new beginning then." Ichigo said, still cupping Toushiro's cheek in a calloused palm, glancing at the dessert on the stovetop and smiling knowingly at the shorter girl. Her heart skipped yet another beat. And then it hit her.

She was falling in love, piece by piece, with the warmhearted substitute in front of her.

And somehow, that took all the pain away.

She glanced down at the dessert and blushed a bit, realizing that the other captains were grinning widely at the sweet scene that had just played out (Kuchiki excluded, of course). Then she sighed, looked up into Ichigo's hovering face with cool confidence.

"Yeah. A __strawberry-sweet__ beginning." she said with a smirk, and then crashed their lips together again.

* * *

 **Yep! Toushiro's a baker! (And a frickin' talented one too).**

 **Anyhow, I do love those fancy review things. Leave me your thoughts in that box!**

 **~avtorSola**


	21. Mastermind

**A/N: I'm alive. Kinda. Anyway, here you go. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Zanpakutou."_

 _"Thinking."_

* * *

She narrowed her eyes, chewing on the end of her brush. She was sitting at her desk, Hyourinmaru's sheathed length bound to her back by the pale-blue obi, trying desperately to look like she was focusing on the stacks of paperwork before her instead of the hastily-drawn diagram on her lap. She'd gone back down to see Aizen yesterday, again under the pretense of a nightmare, and while inside Muken had quickly and efficiently doodled a sketch of Muken's various weaknesses. She'd also carefully examined the restraints strapping Aizen into his chair, contemplating the kido she'd need to reverse the binding.

Never before had she seen something so complex and intricate before. The kido inscriptions that kept the power sealed into Aizen's chair were multilayered and overlapped like linking scales. And each one of Aizen's bonds was separate, unlocked by different keys of myriad design and shape. Getting him out of the chair would be hassle enough - breaking him out of Muken would be another thing entirely.

Unless...

She broke the thought off, nervous, her mind drifting back to the Wildfire Kenmeinarei spirit whom she had met the night she'd been disowned. Akaen, he'd called himself. Hyourinmaru stirred in her soul.

 _"_ _ _He is a mere beta."__ the dragon snorted somewhat derisively, though he seemed more amused by his wielder's uncertainty than anything else. _"_ _ _And I am a Cardinal Spirit - together we are the Alpha of alphas. If you ask for his help, he will grant it."__

 _"_ _ _...I don't__ ** _ _ **want**__** _ _to free Aizen, though."__ Toushiro replied, her fists clenching on the brush in her hand and the sheet of illicit paper in her lap. _"_ _ _After what he did to Momo...to me...to Seireitei...Even if I__ can __sympathize..."__

 _"_ _ _I cannot make your choices for you, fledgling."__ Hyourinmaru said gently. _"_ _ _I can only stand by them."__

Toushiro groaned and slid the makeshift map back into her haori pocket, her face somewhat sour. She felt bitter beyond belief about the thought of committing treason, but if the Royal Family came for her at any point, she needed backup. The Gotei 13 would be honor-bound to pursue her if so ordered, and though she already knew that the Kuchiki would protest if any noble clan came after her, they could not stand against the Soul King. Aizen was the only shinigami she knew - besides Ichigo - who would be willing to stand against the Gotei 13.

Besides, Aizen had suffered more than anyone had known.

The thought sobered her, and without warning a image of Aizen's face, bloodied with terror and howling loss, flashed through her mind. Her hand flitted back to Hyourinmaru's cold hilt, massaging the familiar blade gently. The ice-dragon hummed comfortingly in her soul.

 _"_ _ _I'm here, my little one."__ he rumbled tenderly.

Hyourinmaru was half of her soul - without him, she would be maddeningly incomplete, a half-wraith wandering around in agony every day of her wasting life. She'd be a soul without a heart, a shinigami without a spirit. She'd be empty nothingness. She couldn't imagine it. Yet Aizen had lived with it for a hundred and fifty years.

And then, the pity was back, and she found herself once again able to contemplate treason.

 _"_ _ _Healing Aizen's mind will have to be a priority if I'm to use him."__ she decided. _"_ _ _He's driven by revenge and loss, but it makes him too ruthless to be a justified ally. I won't work with someone like that."__

 _"_ _ _He is Tamashino Kenmeinarei, same as you."__ Hyourinmaru offered unexpectedly. _"_ _ _If you ask the Kenmeinarei, I'm sure they would watch over him."__

Toushiro turned the idea over in her mind. The only area of the Kenmeinarei-realm that she'd seen had been Akaen's cave and the soft nest she'd woken in, but the innate connection she'd felt to that plane of existence had been immediate and freeing. It had eased her soul while she'd been hurting. Perhaps it would alleviate Aizen's pain long enough for him to regain his moral nature?

 _"_ _ _He may not regain his morals until he regains Kyoka Suigetsu, fledgling."__ Hyourinmaru warned her gently. _"_ _ _Even the newest shinigami understands that the Zanpakutou is born from the innermost part of your soul. Tearing away a Zanpakutou - especially a Tamashino Kenmeinarei's Zanpakutou - is like tearing out a piece of your heart."__

 _"_ _ _Did you know Kyoka Suigetsu, Hyourinmaru?"__ Toushiro asked curiously, absently flicking through a report from her Ninth Seats. For a long minute the dragon was quiet, and Toushiro took the time to authorize her Ninth Seats' requested missions and deploy their teams.

 _"_ _ _I did, yes."__ The ice-drake's voice was heavy with something like regret, and it was clear that the wise dragon was saddened greatly by the separation of Aizen and his Zanpakutou spirit. _"_ _ _She was a wise, just spirit with a large, kindly heart. She would never have permitted Aizen to kill so indiscriminately."__

 _"_ _ _Someone's waxing poetic."__ Toushiro thought with a smirk, and Hyourinmaru sniffed haughtily.

 _"_ _ _Kyoka Suigetsu is not my version of your boyfriend, you anklebiter!"__ he huffed, and Toushiro grinned impishly, knowing that the dragon was blushing silver. _"_ _ _We were friends, I admit, but she was infinitely more of a dear younger sister than a love interest. She was a very sweet-natured spirit - much like her master before we learned the truth of Aizen's cruelty. An omega spirit through and through - she was never suited for leadership, but there was never a phoenix quite so generous or giving."__

Hitsugaya reached for another report, grimacing at the sight of the always-unwelcome budget report. How much damage had her men caused this time?

 _"_ _ _So it's likely that Kyoka Suigetsu was deeply connected with Aizen's kindness, then."__ Toushiro deduced quietly. Her white eyebrows knitted together. _"_ _ _And to think...someone took his kindness for mere want of power..."__

Hyourinmaru growled in her heart, and Toushiro felt the restrained, vast coldness boiling angrily beneath the three seals on her collarbone. Her full transcendental power simmered with fury, and the December sky, already overcast through nature's wiles, began to darken with thunder.

 _"_ _ _We will watch their blood rain, little queenling."__ Hyourinmaru snarled. _"_ _ _For nothing but blood can satisfy the wrath of a dragon when such anger is aroused."__

 _"_ _ _Yes. But not today."__ Toushiro said firmly, her emerald glare flashing with controlled rage. _"_ _ _Because unlike other spirits, the wrath of a dragon can simmer for a thousand years. Patience will win us the day."__

 _"_ _ _Yes."__

The conversation over, Toushiro returned to her paperwork, simultaneously mulling over plans in her mind and deducting reparations from the salaries of her troublemaking officers and underlings. The aim of her goal with Aizen was, ultimately, to claim the throne of Seireitei and restore his Zanpakutou to him. If everything went well, she'd probably end up setting him up as a steward - she sure as hell didn't fancy the title of Soul Queen for a long while yet, whereas Aizen already had a demonstrated interest in the throne. It would also keep him happy and busy. But she wouldn't need to break him out of Muken until after she came out as transgender.

And she wouldn't come out as transgender until she'd fully mastered her Bankai,, Fukyuukai, and learned a passable amount of the Kenmeinarei 'Deep-magic' that she'd need to control whatever 'Aspect' would open up to her upon her First Flight. Whatever a First Flight entailed.

At least her Bankai and Fukyuukai were coming along at a respectable pace. She was now more than able to effectively fight and move about in both forms, though her Fukyuukai form was still giving her trouble - the three extra limbs were hard to manage. And she'd even managed to cast what Hyourinmaru had proclaimed to be a rudimentary attempt at a 'Deep-magic' spell. She hadn't known what she'd been doing, but somehow she'd ended up spinning around in a perfect circle and clapping her hands exactly the right number of times for an early winter snow to roll in. That had been yesterday - and the snow was still on the ground outside. It hadn't been made through reiatsu, but rather the inborn Kenmeinarei powers that her transcendent Fukyuukai form possessed. She'd been extremely startled to find that the power simmering on her skin was in fact not reiatsu, but pure magic.

It wasn't to say that she didn't have reiatsu in that form - because she had enough to flatten most of Seireitei - but it took more of a secondary, supportive role that she didn't fully understand. It had something to do with reinforcing her soul as to make it able to withstand the all-consuming power of the 'Deep-magic'...

But suffice to say that she'd be hiding her transgender self for a while. Unless she had a sudden breakthrough somewhere.

It was annoying, she sulked. She'd wanted to celebrate the New Year season as a full-on woman. Seireitei always had a slightly-longer-than-a-week party for the New Year, where each of the nine days was a festival of fun and winter-time excitement. There were theme days where people would dress up in fancy costumes, food and game stalls everywhere, and the captains and lieutenants usually sparred with each other in a tournament-style spectacle for their subordinates' benefit. Finally being female for the New Year would have been both fun and a new beginning.

There was also the fact that the noble families were specifically prohibited from complaining about 'commoners' behavior' during the holiday season...

"Captain Hitsugaya?"

Toushiro stiffened in her seat, glancing up to see that a purple-robed messenger stood in the doorway of her office, eyes shadowed. She blinked, then shifted her attention from the paperwork onto the man in front of her.

"Report." she commanded dryly. The messenger dropped to one knee.

"Sir. Yamamoto-soutaicho has called for a joint meeting of the captains and lieutenants at sunset this evening." the messenger said quickly. "He also sends this message to you: The old lotus flower has sent seeds to Seireitei, and the orange Hollow grows ever closer to catching invisible prey."

Toushiro blinked, then glanced dismissively back down at the papers before her.

"Thank you. Dismissed." she said in her usual calm tone, waiting until the messenger disappeared before choosing to panic. She stared at her calendar, gasping for breath, terrified by the message.

It was December eleventh, she noted absently, trying to keep her hands from shaking. The message had been irrevocably clear - and it was horrifyingly dangerous for her.

The old lotus was the Royal Family, which meant that the seeds were likely to be spies or agents of some kind. And they'd been sent to Seireitei. Not Rukongai. Not the generic 'Soul Society.' Seireitei. Somewhere, someone had somehow figured out that the newest female dragon-Zanpakutou was in Seireitei.

She was running out of time, and her Bankai and Fukyuukai were still difficult to control - the Fukyuukai more so. If she tried to challenge the Royal Family for the right to rule now, she'd be slaughtered - assuming their power was the full wrath of a twisted Kenmeinarei spirit. She needed more time, and had no way to get it.

And Ichigo - the orange Hollow - was closing in. She hadn't wanted him to find out about the threat of rape or kidnap looming over her head. But it seemed that he was growing more and more suspicious.

She stood, abandoning her paperwork on her desk, and shot to the hidden training cavern under Sokyoku Hill. She did her best to appear unruffled as she passed by the myriad divisions, but inside she could feel all of her calm resolve crumbling into shards of slight terror. Hinamori passed her with a cheerful wave, reaching out as if to stop her sister from speeding past. But though Hitsugaya saw that, she kept going, barely pausing to offer a quick 'sorry Hinamori, gotta run.'

She reached the cave in record time and ducked into the secret entrance. The kido barriers went up in triplicate, sealing everyone else out, and she took advantage of the sudden wash of relief at her isolation to sit heavily down on one of the boulders. She swallowed hard.

"Akaen. I need your help." she pleaded with the empty air, feeling foolish. But then a shimmering swirl of fire-orange magic licked through the air and a glowing portal opened wide. A massive scaled head poked out of the entrance, scarlet and orange scales gleaming like embers. Then the dragon - who was easily twice the size of Hitsugaya's Bankai - struggled into the cave, wings and tail rustling. The Kenmeinarei spirit let out a soft sigh, blowing wild hot air through the cave. A moment after the last inch of his scaled tail spilled over the boundary between the Kenmeinarei realm and the Soul Society, a large phoenix flew from the portal behind him. The phoenix's wingspan was almost ten feet across, her vivid vermilion wings flickering with gold and yellow feathers, and the sweeping grace of her tail trailed behind her as she landed on the red dragon's massive head.

Toushiro gaped up at them in awe. The red dragon chuckled a bit, lowering his head to gaze straight into Hitsugaya's face with one glowing orange eye.

"Fledgling, you called my name." the dragon said in a rumbling, melodic bass. Toushiro's emerald gaze widened.

"You're Akaen!" she yelped. The dragon chuckled, as did the phoenix on his head. The phoenix swept down, wings blazing with werefire, and in a flash of gold, yellow, and pale orange transformed into a tall, willowy woman with pointed ears. Her skin was tinged with golden undertones, the olive color contrasting prettily with the wave of honey-gold hair cascading down her back and over the delicate gossamer butterfly wings attached to her shoulder blades. She, like her husband, wore a loincloth-like garment in shades of yellow and pale orange that exposed her long, tattooed legs, and a simple sash of fabric in the same colors supported her breasts. Her tattoos, unlike Akaen's, shimmered gently in shades of gold and burnished pale orange, calm flares of controlled, comforting power sparkling over them. She had gold bangles on her wrists and ankles, which jingled cheerfully every time she moved. By her side, the red dragon also shifted back into his humanoid form, revealing Akaen's toffee face.

Then Toushiro blinked, studying the tattoos on each Kenmeinarei's collarbones. In a small area spreading from the crook of their necks, they each had a filigree tattoo in their partner's color mixed in alongside their own tattoos.

The gold-attired woman came closer to her and gently cupped the young woman's face in her warm palms, the bright, alert gold of the woman's eyes fixed firmly on the young transgender woman's face. The phoenix-woman softened, her lips curling in a fanged smile.

"Oh, she's so very young, Akaen." she said quietly, the ankle-length pieces of her skirt/loincloth swirling about her calves. "I've never seen a Tamashino so very young before."

The red dragon purred with something like pleasure, approaching Toushiro purposefully.

"Yet even through her youth, her scent is strong." Akaen said calmly. "She is an Alpha, and a very powerful Alpha. Perhaps even one of the Four Cardinals."

He turned a luminous orange gaze on the young woman in front of him. He frowned.

"You called my name."

Toushiro nodded, ignoring their chatter.

"I am not the only balanced Tamashino Kenmeinarei in Seireitei." she said without preamble. Both the phoenix and the dragon blinked in surprise. "Nor have I been the only Tamashino Kenmeinarei to resurface since the Royal Family began to stray from the path they should have chosen."

Akaen's orange glare hardened into a blaze of questioning fury. His wife laid a hand on his arm in a restraining manner, then stepped forward.

"I am Kotabiki." she introduced herself gently. "The Kenmeinarei have no record of other balanced Tamashino in Soul Society for several thousands of years. We know of your Captain-Commander, but he is not fully Tamashino."

Toushiro turned her face away, fists tightening until her nails bit into her palms.

"The noble families and the Royal Family kidnap them." she said, the anger and fear palpable in her voice. "Their Zanpakutou spirits are ripped away, their powers are sealed, and they're raped if they don't submit."

There was silence for a long moment while Toushiro swallowed hard.

"There is a man." she said, her voice shaking. "He...this evil thing was done to him, and he...he betrayed Seireitei and attempted to kill everyone he'd once known. He nearly killed me twice. But I don't think he's sane - he wants revenge on the Royal Family for taking his Zanpakutou spirit from him and forcing him to impregnate their queen."

Akaen and Kotabiki stared, their expressions unreadable, but if the twitching of Akaen's tail was anything to go by, they were furious. Toushiro sucked in another shuddering breath of air.

"He is a traitor to Seireitei, and I am one of Seireitei's thirteen captains." She pleaded. "Since I have become transgender, I have been a balanced Tamashino spirit, and the Royal Family has already discovered my existence, though I do not believe that they know my identity. I will need this man's help - and more importantly, now that I know what he has been through, I can't just leave him to rot in prison. But if I break him out and hide him, I will be executed."

Akaen and Kotabiki, now understanding what Hitsugaya was asking of them, both nodded simultaneously.

"You wish us to free him and shelter him." Akaen said solemnly. Toushiro nodded.

"Yes." she confirmed. "And I need someone to help me learn the ways and magic of the Kenmeinarei. I don't have any more time to puzzle this out on my own."

The pair of mated Kenmeinarei spirits exchanged long looks, and then nodded, determination crossing their faces. Akaen turned to face her.

"You will call for the Trial of Two Blades." he stated flatly. Hitsugaya's gaze darkened.

"If I must do so to oust that corrupt king and his family, then yes." she replied.

"Then we will help you, fledgling." Akaen decided. "The Kenmeinarei do not take kindly to the oppression of our own."

"Thank you."

Toushiro released a breath she hadn't even known that she'd been holding, the tension seeping out of her system. The two spirits in front of her watched with concern, and then Kotabiki piped up, something like amusement in her voice.

"It may be my nose playing tricks on me, but I believe I smell a mateling - a suitor - on you." she said, her voice a singsong purr. Akaen blinked at his mate, nonplussed by the sudden observation, then grinned fiercely as Toushiro blushed, her golden cheeks quickly turning rosy.

"...I, uh..." she stammered. "I'm, um, in a relationship, if that's what you mean. But he hasn't been around for the past week or so. It's sort of long-distance."

Kotabiki's golden eyes gleamed, and she sniffed the air again.

"He is not a dragon or phoenix Kenmeinarei." she stated thoughtfully. "But he does have a similarly powerful scent."

Toushiro shifted, Ichigo's handsome face flashing through her mind. Her cheeks pinked again.

"He's a human-shinigami-Hollow-Quincy hybrid." She recited. The two Kenmeinarei stared at her astonished by the complexity of the hybridization. "It's actually the fault of the man you're going to help."

Akaen blinked his orange eyes owlishly at the young Tamashino girl before him.

"Your feelings for him are strong." he said with a smile. "And if you choose him as your mate, the hybridization of his spirit will enable him to dominate you sufficiently. From scent alone, he seems a good match."

Toushiro went about three different shades of red at the sound of the phrase 'dominate you,' her green eyes going wide as her mind wandered down indecent paths. She floundered, and the two Kenmeinarei watched her in amusement for several minutes before taking pity and explaining.

"Fledgling, the mating ritual for the Kenmeinarei is a battle." Akaen explained with an amused grin. "The male attacks the female with the hope of subduing her, and she attacks with the intent of testing his temperament. If she deems him a mate worthy of her - by her own criteria - then she will submit and allow the male to pin her and link their souls. Typically, this transfer of power is done with a bite to the throat. If she deems him unworthy...then she will attack him until he dies or flees. The same holds true in homosexual relationship, except that the role of the female is usually taken by the stronger of the two spirits."

Toushiro felt the naughty images evaporate from her mind, and she breathed a sigh of relief, though the blush on her face stayed fixed firmly in place. Akaen watched for a moment, then laughed.

"Of course, most Kenmeinarei mate immediately after the ritual is complete." he said, orange eyes simmering with wicked mirth. Kotabiki flushed prettily next to him, though she was also clearly amused by Toushiro's innocent reaction to the thought of sex. "It's most pleasurable then for both parties, and many female Kenmeinarei enjoy being submissive to a very dominant mate. It's something about being pinned..."

Toushiro went red again and she curled into a small ball, pressing her hands over her ears and squeaking violently.

"I don't need to know that!" she yelped, blushing madly. Suddenly the shirtless-Ichigo images were back in her head, and she went even redder. Kotabiki and Akaen laughed at the innocence of her blush, and she glared at them, her face warm with mortification.

"Oh, stop!" she complained, and the two Kenmeinarei laughed all the harder. She grumbled, scowling, her blush still vivid on her golden cheeks, and proceeded to pout.

"We're not even that serious yet!" she protested. Suddenly her heart sank. "...he doesn't even know about the danger that I'm in. He doesn't know that I'm trying to free the man who nearly killed everyone he cares about several times over. He doesn't know I'm Tamashino."

Akaen and Kotabiki calmed, the revelations sobering them sharply. Akaen's toffee face went solemn again.

"You need to tell him." he said seriously. "If you trust him, you cannot keep this secret. Especially not if you are being hunted."

"Aizen tried to kill everyone he cared about." Toushiro protested. "How am I supposed to tell him that I'm going to free the man he nearly died trying to take down?"

Kotabiki shrugged, her expression sympathetic. Akaen likewise seemed at a loss, and Toushiro sighed and put her head on her knees, her emerald stare downcast. Her face screwed up.

"Lying to him is killing me. But I don't want to draw him into this." she whispered. "One of my friends already knows, and I think that most of the captains do as well. But the more people I tell, the greater danger I'm in."

Akaen shook his head.

"Your mateling is strong enough to impress the Kenmeinarei."he said certainly. "And he has your power to guard his back. The sooner he knows, the sooner he will trust you again. You have everything to lose, but the entire world to gain. Why do you hesitate? You are Tamashino Kenmeinarei!"

Toushiro mulled that over for a long while. Kotabiki and Akaen stood in silence, watching her quietly, their garments rustling in the soft wind of a hot breeze. But finally Hitsugaya raised her white head and stood to her full height. Her white haori, belted with the light-blue obi, hung loosely around her curvy young frame, and suddenly there was steel in her green stare again. The moral compass in her heart was pointing into the wild winter wastes of the North again.

If she wasn't strong enough to defeat the Royal Family or the noble clans, then she'd __become__ strong enough. If she wasn't confident enough to face the world as a woman, then she'd __become__ confident enough. And she'd do whatever she could to right the injustices that had been done to Aizen and the others who had come before her.

She'd found her path. She'd developed the same clear lens that her grandmother had always guided her with.

And it was time to be who she was, without reservation.

Even if it meant losing Ichigo. Even if it meant losing Rukia, and Rangiku, and Momo, and everyone else, she would do what she knew was right. Eventually the admiration and awe would fade and they would understand. And she would not hold their anger against them. It was permissible considering the pain they had faced. But she was growing up now, her body that of an adult woman, her heart and mind maturing at the same time. The young boy-genius of the Tenth Division was a memory now. He'd grown into something more. He hadn't vanished. Hitsugaya Toushiro was still a vast part of her, but he'd changed.

She wasn't Toushiro anymore. But she was still the same person.

Just older, wiser, and more sure of herself.

"I am Tamashino Kenmeinarei." she decided, ice creeping into her voice. "Nothing will change that."

"No." Akaen confirmed. And Hitsugaya stared up into his eyes.

The moment was now. She would not hide. She would not run. If the Royal Family came for her, then she would fight. She would heal Aizen. She would topple the corrupted dynasty.

And finally, she would stand on the heavens.

"Train me." she commanded, her expression fearless. "I will need all my strength to overthrow the Soul King. And I will need all my strength to prove to those I love that what I am doing is right."

Akaen's face split in a wide smile, and he and Kotabiki bowed to her.

"As you wish, fledgling queen." he said, the tattoos on his skin glowing. And then he and Kotabiki dissolved into flame. Hitsugaya tapped her fingers onto her collarbone, her green glare heavy with determination and confidence.

"Gentei Kaijo: Seal of the Third Lotus."

The three seals on her collarbone broke apart, and pale, pale bluewhite reiatsu blasted through the cavern, bowing the sides of the innermost kido barrier before solidifying into a sheen of icy power on Hitsugaya's golden skin. Her pupils glowed.

"Bankai: Fukyuukai Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

And then the world exploded in ice.

* * *

(earlier)

A pale hand reached down with curious fingers, picking up the piece of paper left lying the road. Deftly flicking the folded paper open and skimming the paper's contents, the pale hand's owner stiffened. Littered all over the parchment were complex kido-formulas and various diagrams of Muken.

The shinigami who held the piece of paper in their hands stared, then looked up in bafflement, worry shining in their eyes.

Why did Captain Hitsugaya have this?

The shinigami folded the paper back up, then set off towards their division, deciding not to say anything about for the time being. After all, it wasn't as if Hitsugaya would free Aizen or anything...

* * *

 **So? Reviews? Questions? (I might answers questions!)**

 **Please and thank you! :D**


	22. Heart of Ice

**A/N: I know, I'm such a bloody tease. But I'm not showing you her Fukyuukai stage yet! Review replies below (I know I usually PM, but one was a guest, and Lobisomen's deserved a public mention)**

 **Guest: Hitsugaya's the 'fledgling queen.' Akaen knows she's not up to par yet. But she's superior to him just by the value of her abilities, so it's more like she hasn't grown into the title yet. The respect is a Kenmeinarei-culture tic that has been hinted at (alpha, beta, omega, etc), but hasn't quite been explained yet. It's coming, I promise.**

 **Lobisomen616: ...Do you mind if I *possibly* steal that? I love it!**

 **Side note: Hot damn. Bleach 671. Adult-Hitsugaya. His shirt is open the whole time - _so much eye candy_ _._ And he's such a cocky little shit _._ I think I'm in love. ****Also, people keep saying he looks like Ichigo? I don't see it. I'm thinking he looks more like Muguruma Kensei, just with better hair...**

 **ANYWAY. You already knew Hitsugaya was my fav. (lol, look at my profile/the main characters of all my stories bar one.) So enjoy him/her as a badass chick!**

 **And S/O to Yama-jii here for such on-point bullshit. He sorta wrote himself.**

* * *

Hitsugaya clambered out of the cavern as the sun was setting. She was breathing heavily, but she was grinning, a smirk of pleasure written all over her face. Sparring with Akaen and Kotabiki had been the final push she'd needed.

She'd mastered her Bankai and her Fukyuukai. From this point on...she was strong enough to take on any who opposed her. From this point on..she could be as overtly female as she wanted, provided the royals weren't around. She had yet to make her First Flight, which would seal her Aspect to her magic, but if she wanted to overthrow the Royal Family she could not do so until she claimed their seat for her own.

She looked down at her hands, flipping them over so that she could see her palms. The faintest imprints of silvery white and blue filigree tipped her fingers, and her ears had shifted, growing faint points. The points would become extremely prominent when she unleashed her Fukyuukai, but even so she could tell that the shape was different. Her hearing was keener, her sight sharper, and her sense of smell was on a whole different level. Hyourinmaru's icy presence was no longer at the back of her mind, but instead permeated her soul, his emotions, thoughts, and sensations spread throughout her body. The constant thrum of the presence of winter, of cold, and of the vast sky was a buzzing undercurrent in her chest, the very existence of those things bound so tightly to her soul that she wondered how she'd never felt it before. Each breath of air was crystal in her lungs, each microscopic droplet of water against her cheek a splash of sweet, pure magic. The Deep-magic was in her soul now, and she felt complete in a way that she'd never felt before.

It was beautiful.

"I need to name myself." she said under her breath, setting off toward the First Division at breakneck pace. She had re-sealed her reiatsu to levels normal for the captains, but now that she'd mastered her Fukyuukai, and Bankai by extension, the shimmer of magical, non-reiatsu power coated her conscious mind so thickly that she could almost taste it. Casually, she flicked a finger out, watching as a pale blue shimmer of icy dust swirled around the palm of her hand. The Deep-magic was still fully active.

She quelled the simple spell as she arrived in front of the First Division. Nobody needed to know about her new powers over the sky and winter just yet.

Lieutenant Sasakibe met her at the gate, his silvered eyebrows furrowed together, his lips pursed slightly. She raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, checking the sun in the sky. It was sunset. She wasn't late. Nonetheless, Sasakibe looked her up and down.

"I would have thought that you - of all people - would have the decency to draw __less__ attention to yourself." he said, obviously distressed. Suddenly Hitsugaya realized what he was talking about, and she looked down at the way the pretty blue obi highlighted her hips and bust. She wasn't Matsumoto-size by any means, but she certainly was curvy. A light laugh twitched the corners of her mouth into a grim smile. That was right - Sasakibe was one of the intolerant ones.

"Since when do I care?" she said coolly. Sasakibe stared openly as Hitsugaya brushed past him into the meeting hall where all the lieutenants and captains were gathered.

"But Hitsugaya-taicho..." his voice trailed off as she slid into place in line, her pink lips curling into a dangerous smile.

"Do you have a problem, Sasakibe-fukutaicho?" Hitsugaya asked, her voice dripping sweet poison. The entire room - which was still missing Kyoraku and Zaraki - went still. Sasakibe stared, obviously sensing the challenge evident in Hitsugaya's frosty tone. Then Sasakibe, with a nervous glance in an impassive Yamamoto's direction, swallowed hard and spoke up.

"I understand that your current...gender situation is not your fault, sir." he said carefully. "But you are acting as if you are female."

Hitsugaya rolled her eyes, watching Kyoraku, Ise, Zaraki, and Kusajishi walk in, the last group to arrive.

"Well, I'm not male." she said with a derisive snort. Sasakibe shook his head.

"No sir, I meant-"

"Sasakibe, __I am not male__." Hitsugaya cut him off in midsentence, her eyes narrowing. The silence in the room was thick with shock, but as the full import of Hitsugaya's words began to hit home, Rukia, Momo, and Rangiku all started vibrating in place, excitement overflowing from their pores. Ukitake, Unohana, Kuchiki, and Yamamoto looked on, something like pride tempered by bittersweetness evident on their faces. Kyoraku smiled happily under the brim of his hat, and Ise gaped.

Sasakibe's expression of shock curdled into disgust.

"You're...transgender?" He spat out the word like it was dirty. Toushiro lips quirked.

"I don't know yet. But it's extremely likely." she replied calmly. "But you, __lieutenant__ , are out of line when you try to reprimand me. Return to your place."

Sasakibe buzzed with anger, but a cool, dismissive look from Hitsugaya sent him back to Yamamoto's side. Then Soifon, who had been watching the entire spectacle in something like cool curiosity, spoke up, her slate glare a little more open than usual.

"Hitsugaya, you do realize that a great many shinigami are speculating about your gender preferences, yes? A straight answer would greatly help quell the nastier of the rumors. And it would restore some productivity to the gossiping members of the Onmitsukido." she asked in her usual severe way. Hitsugaya quirked a white eyebrow in response.

"I understand that a concrete answer would be nice, but unfortunately, I can't give one yet." she said. It was a white lie - she knew she was a girl - but the smokescreen of uncertainty would shield her from the any noble or royal influence until she could set her plans into motion. Hopefully.

Soifon blinked in surprise.

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled. Hitsugaya shrugged.

"Gender identity is a tricky thing to understand." she said, a half-smile on her face. "I'm still trying to figure everything out. At the moment, I'm gender-neutral. Does that satisfy you?"

Soifon just looked at her, hard, blank slate to cool emerald. Then the slender, small woman nodded at her curvier counterpart.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with your efficiency." she replied dispassionately. Hitsugaya dipped her head a bit, looking distinctly affronted.

"Tch. As if."

It seemed that Yamamoto was just about to speak when Yachiru blinked at the young prodigy, bouncing down from Kenpachi's broad shoulders to land neatly on the floor in front of Hitsugaya. Her maroon eyes were wide in curiosity, and she stared up at Hitsugaya in something like sadness.

"You're tall now, Snowy-chan." she said, her voice upset. "Why are you tall? And you have boobies like Bun-chan and Ran-chan! Are they real, Snowy-chan?"

Then Yachiru reached out and poked Hitsugaya in the breast with a little girl finger. She squeaked in surprise.

"Ah! Snowy-chan really is a girl now!" she squealed.

Hitsugaya stared, slowly turning pink. A vein twitched in her forehead. She exhaled slowly and carefully crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ward off Yachiru's innocent-yet-lewd gestures. A few snickers echoed in the hall around them. The temperature dropped a bit.

"Kusajishi..." Hitsugaya said, her voice pained. "Don't touch me like that again."

The Eleventh Division Lieutenant blinked.

"Why?" she asked, plainly curious. "Ran-chan lets me poke her. She's all jiggly, too."

Hitsugaya whirled on her lieutenant, incredulous annoyance in her eyes.

"Matsumoto, you __encourage__ this?" she hissed. Rangiku giggled a bit.

"She's just curious, Taicho." Rangiku replied with a smile. "Its better that she learns about being a young lady in a controlled environment - and the Eleventh is anything but controlled. So she comes to see me when she has questions. Right, Yachiru-chan?"

"Yep!" the pink-haired little menace bounced up and down in place. "Ran-chan knows a lot about being a girl. I think she even knows more about it than Ken-chan!"

The phrase had Hitsugaya's mouth curling, and she glanced quickly in Zaraki's direction. The giant captain appeared distinctly disgruntled, but he was gazing at Rangiku with a sort of fervent appreciation. So Hitsugaya unwillingly relaxed her tense posture, something like commiseration crossing over her face. Matsumoto smiled down at her petite captain's reaction, then turned to the pink-haired little girl.

"Hey, Yachiru-chan? You know how talking about girl stuff sometimes makes you feel icky and weird, even though I tell you it's all very normal?" she asked. Yachiru clapped her hands to her mouth, maroon eyes going wide in realization.

"Oh-oh! Is Snowy-chan feeling like that too?" she asked curiously. Rangiku nodded.

"Taicho is still feeling a little bit icky about the whole thing, that's right." she said, ignoring her captain's scowl of protest. "So if you want to talk to Taicho about being a girl, would you please ask her permission first?"

And to the incredible shock of every shinigami present in the hall, Yachiru nodded and looked genuinely contrite.

"Sorry, Snowy-chan!" she chirped, bouncing back onto Zaraki's massive shoulder. "I'm gonna ask first now."

Bewildered, Hitsugaya stared first at Yachiru, then at her lieutenant, and then back at Yachiru. Many of her colleagues followed suit, startled by the degree of control that Rangiku had over the usually hyperactive child.

"O...kay?" Hitsugaya stammered finally, effectively ending the odd little scene well enough for Yamamoto to cough his usual gruff cough and begin the meeting.

"Enough." he rumbled. "Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13, I have called you here today on behalf of the Royal Family."

A soft murmur of surprise went up among the assembled group, and Hitsugaya tried hard not to let the sudden swell of anxiety show on her face. She didn't seem to be the only one, however. Ukitake, Kyoraku, Unohana, Yamamoto, and both Kuchiki siblings also appeared to be suppressing grimaces, though it was unlikely that anyone else would be able to tell.

Yamamoto tapped his cane imperiously on the solid wooden floor.

"We have been given a warning by the Royal Family." he said solemnly. "The Royal Guard has once again detected the reiatsu of a royal-blooded Zanpakutou spirit paired with their balanced soul, and the Guard wishes us to know that they and various members of the Royal Family will be present in Seireitei and Rukongai until the individual is identified and proper containment measures are taken. We are to be deferential towards them at all times, regardless of circumstance."

Hirako groaned, and from the expressions of annoyance on the faces of several other captains, they were close to following suit.

"The hell is a 'royal-blooded' Zanpakutou?" the blonde Vizard drawled, annoyed. "And didn't this same thing happen a couple centuries ago or somethin'?"

Yamamoto opened one eye, peering at the Vizard in something like disdain.

"A royal-blooded Zanpakutou is a Zanpakutou spirit which materializes in the form of either a phoenix or a dragon." Yamamoto rumbled calmly. "Two such Zanpakutou are in this room."

Predictably, all eyes drifted to both Hitsugaya and Yamamoto. Komamura's furry ears twitched.

"...would I be correct in assuming that neither of you are the wielder that the Royal Guard has detected?" he asked. Yamamoto paused, considering for a long minute. Then he sighed.

"The possibility is present in Hitsugaya-taicho's case, but it is extremely unlikely." he said finally, and Hitsugaya could have cried with relief, so certain was the old general's voice despite every scrap of evidence to the contrary. "I am not female - which I would have to be to trip the Royal Guard's sensors - and Hitsugaya-taicho's accidental gender-switch did not change their reiatsu signature. Even if Hitsugaya-taicho was responsible for alerting the Royal Guard's sensors, I am told that action would only be taken against them should they remain female."

Hitsugaya felt ready to jump forward and hug the old man. He'd even made up some plausible bullshit to throw everyone else off her tail. She'd couldn't have asked for anything else.

Nanao, her expression puzzled, stepped forward then, dropping into the the kneeling crouch required of lieutenants at the joint meetings.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho, I do not understand." she said politely. "Why would only a woman trip the sensor?"

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully for a long moment, and gradually the glazing of his old eyes and the surge of warmth in the room alerted everyone to the his conversation with Ryujin Jakka. But then he came back, his expression vaguely tired.

"Only a woman would trip the sensor if the Zanpakutou is a dragon-Zanpakutou. Likewise, only a man would trip the sensor if the Zanpakutou is a phoenix-Zanpakutou. It has a great deal to do with balance - a dragon is a masculine Zanpakutou and thus needs a woman to complete the cycle of their power, and the opposite is true of a phoenix." he explained. "It is this complete package, so to speak, that the Royal Family is looking for."

Nanao bowed her head, thanked the old man for the explanation and retreated to stand behind her captain. For a long moment there was a contemplative silence, and then Muguruma-taicho stepped forward, his broad shoulders rippling powerfully. Hisagi and Kuna Mashiro, standing behind him, glanced at the short-haired man in confusion, not expecting him to so suddenly step forward. Hirako and Otorobashi also glanced quizzically at him. But then Kensei spoke, his tone narrow and hard, and sudden the whole room understood his concern.

"Why does the Royal Family want to 'contain' this shinigami?" he asked sharply, eyes narrowed in distrust. "And what do these 'containment measures' entail? Seems to me that they're scared of the power this shinigami is going to end up with."

For a long while, Yamamoto was silent, his head bowed. Several of the senior captains shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep still despite the bile rising up their throats. Rukia was also grimacing, her gaze drifting periodically to a stony-faced Hitsugaya, aching to rush over and comfort the icy woman she now considered a friend. Soifon and Oomaeda, both of whom were from noble clans, also looked distinctly uncomfortable. But finally, Byakuya stepped forward, slate gaze fixed firmly on the wooden floorboards.

"The power of the royal-blooded Zanpakutou used to belong to the Royal Family." the nobleman said, his voice thick with curiously controlled emotion. "Yet the ruling family became corrupt and the royal-blooded Zanpakutou refused to be reincarnated into that house. Since then, the Royal Family and some of the noble clans have sought out those reincarnations and...and for lack of a better way to phrase it, attempted to breed the power of those royal-Zanpakutou back into their bloodline."

There was a long, horrified silence, and then Momo crept forward, her bright eyes wide in shock.

"You...Kuchiki-taicho, you can't mean that-"

"He means it, Momo." Everyone turned. Hitsugaya's hands were trembling noticeably, and she was staring at the ground, but her voice was rock steady. Momo stared at her sister.

"Hitsugaya-chan?" her voice quavered, and Hitsugaya swallowed hard.

"I...Hyourinmaru told me." she revealed. "My previous reincarnations were all female, so...all of them were taken by the Royal Family. Some married willingly - after all, food, clothing and shelter were offered, and those aren't always abundant in Rukongai - but most of my previous reincarnations refused...and..."

Each of the senior captains winced, and a thin sheen of crackling ash drifted from the wooden floorboards around Yamamoto's feet. The old man - though still outwardly solemn - was clearly angered by this revelation. Hitsugaya took a deep breath.

"Every single one of my previous reincarnations were used to produce heirs for the Royal Family, by force if necessary." she finished shakily. "And Hyourinmaru...his power was sealed - ripped from my reincarnated soul and shunted into an Asauchi for the royal bratlings to abuse as they would wish until the reincarnation died or was killed."

Suddenly Matsumoto's hand was on her shoulder, a calming touch dripping with concern, and Hitsugaya realized that she had visible tremors. Kyoraku, seeing this, also reached out and clasped the young woman's other shoulder.

"Hitsugaya-chan." he said softly. She shook herself, nodded jerkily to both Matsumoto and Kyoraku, her breath rushing out in a soft swell.

"Sorry." she apologized bluntly. "It's just...Hyourinmaru's terrified that it might happen again, and the fear carries over. It didn't matter for a long time because he'd managed to fiddle around with fate enough to have me born male, but now that it's even a remote possibility thanks to Kurotsuchi's incompetence..."

"Incompetence! Why, you imbecilic child, I'll have you know-"

"Stuff it, Kurotsuchi, the girl's got a point." Zaraki interjected, beginning another of the usual arguments which everyone ignored for several minutes.

Muguruma, who was staring at Kuchiki and Hitsugaya like they'd grown an extra pair of heads, closed his mouth, though the appalled expression on his face didn't fade.

"I can't even imagine what that must be like." he said in horror. "Let alone for the Zanpakutou, who has to endure it multiple times."

Hitsugaya's mind flashed to Aizen, and though she knew her expression didn't change, her heart did, hardening to a lump of ice.

Otorobashi-taicho strode forward angrily, his blond waves rippling.

"Why is that necessary?" he demanded flatly. "What justification can the Royal Family offer for such an atrocity?"

"They need none. We cannot stand against them." Soifon snapped, growing tired of the conversation. "Regardless of their methods, our loyalty belongs to them!"

"I agree." Kurotsuchi sulked, still sore from Zaraki's snap and Hitsugaya's earlier slight. "They are entitled to behave however they want. And no matter how one considers it, if the Soul King and his family fall, the Soul Society crumbles."

A murmur of discontent shot through the room, most prominently coming from the more independent-minded of the lieutenants, like Renji, Rangiku, Mashiro or Nanao, and the Vizard-captains, who were naturally distrustful of the King and Central 46. But then Oomaeda grumbled.

"Look, I don't get what the big deal is." he huffed. "Half the time the poor souls are half-starved or sicker than Ukitake-taicho on his bad days. The nobles and royals take them in and give them a new life in exchange for an arranged marriage - which is already fairly common among the noble families."

"That doesn't mean you can rip half their souls away from them, you pig!" Matsumoto snarled. Nanao and Rukia glared at the fat nobleman, as did Kuchiki-taicho and the three senior captains. Hitsugaya twitched.

"Stand down, Matsumoto." She said, her tone cold.

"But Taicho!" her lieutenant cried indignantly. Hitsugaya scowled.

"That's an order." she snapped, and reluctantly Matsumoto fell silent. Komamura growled under his breath.

"No matter which way we view this, Soifon-taicho's point remains." he said grimly. "We cannot disobey, no matter how distasteful the orders are. And even if we refused to comply, the power that the Royal Guard alone possesses is easily enough to repress our dissent. The Royal Family is sure to have power beyond theirs."

A heavy shadow fell over the group, and the captains and lieutenants settled into unhappy silence. Yamamoto tapped his cane on the ground.

"You have your orders." he said, his voice tired. "Now execute them to the best of your ability."

He let out a heavy, final breath, then drew himself up.

"Dismissed."

And they scattered.

* * *

 **Please review, even if it's just to drop me a happy face! (or a sad face, but let's hope there aren't any of those...)**


	23. Truth on My Tongue (Hurt in My Heart)

**A/N: Some fluff - only a few more chapters until things start going nuts! And I just wrote the cutest little thing! Eek! Next chapter marks the end of the first part of this crazy idea.**

 **And to think that this plot came to me in a dream (not even kidding)...**

* * *

"How is it?"

Hitsugaya swirled her coffee around in its white cup, watching as little clouds of steam puffed off the surface of the brown liquid and into the cold December air. She was dressed warmly, much to her chagrin, but Ichigo had practically melted at the sight of her wearing a dark-green peacoat and tall, fuzzy-black boots with a pair of knee-high cream socks, so she'd tolerated the winter clothes. She leaned up against her boyfriend, resting her head on his broad shoulder and staring up at the moody grey sky.

"I like the mocha better than that peppermint monstrosity I got last time." she admitted, taking another sip of the drink in her hands. Ichigo's arm went around her shoulders, his thick brown coat adding another layer of warmth to her already warm (for her) frame, but this too she tolerated. Ichigo smelled nice, after all, and they were sitting on a park bench in the middle of December. There was enough cold air to satisfy her.

"You really __do__ have a weakness for dark chocolate, don't you?" Ichigo said, his voice smiling in her ears. Hitsugaya scowled up at him grumpily.

"You got a problem with that?" she challenged. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I didn't say that." he replied. "I'm just amused, that's all. Rangiku-san told me you liked dark chocolate a while back, but I didn't exactly believe her."

That answer appeased the white-haired girl, and she sighed appreciatively.

"Wise choice." she said. "Matsumoto's unreliable even at the best of times."

Ichigo snorted, but let Hitsugaya's casual slight of her lieutenant stand. The pair had caught the older woman stalking them on their last date, and neither had taken kindly to having their privacy invaded. Rangiku had ended up with a stubborn cold after Hitsugaya had hit her with a nasty blast of icy reiatsu, and had agreed to leave them alone with a pout.

The two sat in companionable silence for the next several minutes, sipping their coffees with interlaced fingers, then broke into a brief discussion about __The Lord of the Rings__ , which Ichigo had lent to his petite girlfriend earlier that week. There were very few other people in their area of the park, only a carefully bundled-up jogger and an older fellow talking quietly into a phone, and the crisp winter quiet was nice. Ichigo glanced up at the cloudy grey sky.

"It's peaceful here today."

Hitsugaya hummed in agreement against his shoulder.

"It's going to start snowing in about an hour or so." she informed Ichigo. The orange-haired man raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know that?" he asked. Hitsugaya scoffed lightly.

"My Tenso Jurin, remember?" she reminded the substitute. "I can always sense when the weather is going to change. The Twelfth's pretty much given up on trying to track weather patterns because no matter how technical they get, I'm always more accurate. Of course, I can't predict everything but I've certainly never been wrong about a snowstorm before. I can sniff those out with 100% accuracy nearly two weeks in advance."

Ichigo grinned down at her.

"I didn't know that." he said admiringly. "That would certainly freak out a lot of people in the World of the Living."

Hitsugaya's eyes shuttered a bit at the reference to her as an abnormal individual, but she shrugged it off long enough to figure out why Ichigo seemed to be on the verge of bursting into laughter.

"Why?"

Ichigo's grin grew by several teeth, and he started laughing.

"Weathermen are basically the only people who get __paid__ to be wrong - you'd throw a massive monkey wrench in the system." he said with a grin. Toushiro felt her ire bubble into mirth as understanding swept over her, and she laughed as well, the sound clear and cool.

"Good thing I don't live here, then. Wouldn't want to cheat any honest charlatans out of a job." she said with a pretty smile. Ichigo laughed again, then nudged her a little bit.

"Come on, let's head back to my house." he said, and she lifted her head away from his shoulder, allowing the taller boy to stand up. She followed suit a moment later, and then the pair started off walking back to Ichigo's house, hand in hand, Hitsugaya still nursing her mocha coffee. The sidewalks through the city were relatively quiet, the twinkle of rapidly approaching dusk marking the end of the day. Rush hour had been over for at least half an hour. Now the only people out were the poor souls with broken cars, long jobs, or the tedious boredom of after-work errands.

Several of the adults they passed glanced at Ichigo in distrust, spotting his bright mop of orange hair and snorting. But then they saw Hitsugaya's pure white locks, kept under control by a thick black headband adorned with a small black-satin bow, and were left blinking in astonishment as the petite young woman strolled confidently past with Ichigo on her arm. The few teenage guys that the couple passed whistled. Ichigo preened inwardly (hell __yeah__ , his girl was hot!), but threw those cheeky few death glares that sent them scurrying away. But after a while of the pleasant silence, Hitsugaya's thoughts trailed back to the captains' meeting not even two days ago, and her heart sank. Ichigo didn't deserve to kept in the dark. About anything. Especially not something which could hurt him so badly.

"Ichigo?" she asked, a strange catch in her voice. He paused, waiting for the cars to zoom past before striding easily across the small, neighborhood road with his girlfriend's hand still carefully held in his.

"What is it?" he replied, puzzled by her sudden hesitancy. They'd been together for a little over a month now, and through all of their dates (this would be their fourth in those five weeks) Hitsugaya had always maintained a very clear degree of confidence. The vacillation in her voice just then was therefore somewhat worrisome.

"...I need to talk to you about something." she said seriously. Suddenly her voice dropped to a whisper, and she leaned in closer to his ear. "Preferably somewhere that Seireitei doesn't have ears."

That set the alarm bells ringing violently. Ichigo stiffened. Straightlaced Hitsugaya Toushiro trying to hide something from Seireitei? His eyes narrowed. And not only that, but she appeared distinctly apprehensive, as if what she was going to say would be unpleasant.

The substitute took a deep breath, then slid his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number, carefully setting the phone to his ear. For a long moment, the phone just rang endlessly, and then a familiar voice answered.

 _ _~"Hello, Kurosaki-san! To what do I owe the pleasure?"~__

Ichigo took a deep breath, then sighed.

"Urahara." he said solemnly. "I'm coming over. And I'm bringing Toushiro. Can you have Tessai-san reinforce the barriers around your basement?"

There was a loud string of 'oohing' noises, and then a singsong male voice jabbered something mischievous into the receiver. Hitsugaya twitched, her sharpened sense of hearing recognizing the voice, and had to restrain herself from zapping the phone. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

 _ _~"Why, what a surprise to hear for you asking a favor of little old me! What's the occasion?"~__

Ichigo shot a glance at Hitsugaya's wary, grim expression.

"From what I can tell, nothing good." he said flatly. "Toushiro looks about ready to pull an Onmitsukido and disappear to god-knows-where with me in a burlap sack."

"I do not!"

"Shira, you're twitching, and your eyes are flicking around from side to side like you're on the run from something. And I don't sense any Hollows around, so..."

"...shut up."

Urahara said nothing for a long minute, then sighed.

 _ _~"Put Hitsugaya-taicho on the phone."~__ he said seriously. Ichigo blinked at the sudden seriousness, but did as he was told and handed his petite girlfriend the silver phone. Delicately, she put the receiver to her ear, her expression carefully neutral.

"Yes?" she asked calmly.

 _ _~"Is it you?"~__ Urahara asked, his voice low. Hitsugaya's lower lip curled, and her eyes flashed. She knew exactly what he meant.

"...yes." she said, her voice dark. "But I'm not ready yet."

 _ _~"You need somewhere safe to tell Kurosaki-kun."~__ Urahara asserted. Hitsugaya said nothing, her silence agreement enough. Urahara sighed.

 _ _~"Yoruichi will meet you outside."~__ he said solemnly. ~ _"_ _ _However, we have guests over at the moment - Ichigo's sisters and father, and the Vizards who chose to remain unattached to Soul Society."~__

"That's fine." Hitsugaya said, her voice still artificially calm. "Ichigo's family members are still among the living - Seireitei will not touch them. And the Vizards can take care of themselves."

 _ _~"That's...not entirely true."~__ Suddenly Urahara sounded very guilty. Hitsugaya's brow furrowed, then remembered that Ichigo's father used to be a shinigami. She bit her lip, uncertain suddenly. Ichigo she knew would be strong enough to handle a lot of what the Seireitei could throw at him. His father, on the other hand, could be relatively weak. After all, while reiatsu was an inherited trait among families, the strength of one's reiatsu was only loosely correlated between family members. For all she knew, Ichigo's father could have merely been an unseated officer.

"...perhaps I should wait until they have returned to their home?" she mused. Urahara sighed.

 _ _~"Oh, don't worry about the Kurosaki family."~__ he reassured her, his tone lightening a bit. ~ _"_ _ _Kurosaki Karin-chan is just about as strong as a Sixth Seat, and Kurosaki Yuzu-chan is a pretty apt healer - about Twelfth Seat, I think. And their dad...well...suffice to say the family gets their power from him."~__

Hitsugaya felt her interest spark, but then Urahara was blabbering on about meeting them outside the shop in ten minutes, and he hung up before she could ask any questions. Scowling, Hitsugaya turned to Ichigo, her emerald stare as dark green as her thigh-length pea-coat, and handed the phone over.

"Infuriating man." she huffed. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you've got no idea." he replied. "Come on then. Let's go to Urahara's."

* * *

It took them a little under fifteen minutes to arrive outside the Urahara Shoten, and as they walked up to the small shop a familiar black cat jumped off a nearby trashcan lid and brushed her tail against Hitsugaya's booted ankles.

"Don't you look like a doll." Yoruichi's deep voice purred. Toushiro blushed a bit, then rolled her eyes, huffing in embarrassment. Ichigo glanced down at Yoruichi, brown gaze unusually serious, but a grin twitched at the corner of his mouth. Toushiro's gold-toned face was a constant source of satisfaction for him, mostly because noticing its beauty made her blush a pretty shade of golden-rose. And a blushing, flustered Hitsugaya was definitely a pleasant sight.

Yoruichi led them inside the shop, revealing that it was deserted, then trotted off towards the hidden trapdoor that led to the cavernous basement. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, then set off after his mentor and followed her through the hatch. Hitsugaya lingered for a moment, composing herself, then leapt after the orange-headed teenager and fell gracefully to the floor far beneath. She landed beside Ichigo with a light tap and a small puff of dust, her gigai's ability to gather reishi enough to control and slow her fall.

"Toushiro-nee!"

Yuzu sprinted out from behind a nearby boulder, clad in the characteristic black shihakusho of a shinigami. A small wakizashi blade was tucked into her white obi, her honey-colored hair tied back in two pigtails, and as Toushiro stared in shock at the younger girl, Karin also popped out from behind a boulder, also clad in a shihakusho. Her Zanpakutou was tied to her back like Soifon's however, and took the form of an arrow-straight sword with no visible curve, more akin to the earliest of katana than the traditional, slightly-curved blades Hitsugaya was used to seeing.

But then Yuzu had thrown her arms around the slightly taller girl, looking entirely too cheerful. Hitsugaya squawked in surprise, completely losing her composure, and Karin snickered.

"Alright, Yuzu, let Toushiro go." she said with a grin. "Hachigen still wants you to try that kido out."

The honey-blonde girl smiled brightly and skipped back a pace. She pouted at her sister.

"But Toushiro-nee looks so cute today!" she protested. "I __told__ you pea-coats were adorable, and look!"

Hitsugaya could feel her cheeks warming, and as Ichigo approached and wrapped an arm around her waist the blush caught fire. She scowled half-heartedly at the ground, not really mad but embarrassed by the compliments and flustered by the sudden affection Yuzu was showing her. On the ground, Yoruichi was laughing at her expression, tail twitching, and as Toushiro turned away with a haughty sniff and a pretty pink blush, several more heads peeked around boulders. Yoruichi laughed again.

"Aw, someone's going tsundere on us!" the former Onmitsukido commander teased. Hitsugaya scowled deeply, eyes narrowing.

"I am not." she snapped, turning back to face the boulder on which Yoruichi now perched, her ears flicking idly. Then she froze, pupils dilating, her breath catching in her chest. During the time in which she'd looked away from the Kurosaki twins and the former Onmitsukido commander, seven more individuals had emerged from behind various boulders scattered around Urahara's gigantic basement. One was Urahara, obviously, his stupid fan fluttering nervously, and another was Tessai. Four were the Vizards who refused to return to Seireitei, among them the obnoxious blonde brat who'd called her a pervert during the Winter War. And the last one was...

Toushiro felt all thought evaporate from her brain. She stared dumbly, hands trembling, trying desperately to keep her eyes from watering. Slowly, as if her feet had been turned to leaden blocks, she staggered a step forward, her face paling. Karin, Yuzu, and Ichigo stared at her in concern, as did the Vizards to some extent. The man she was staring at simply looked at her, his expression gentle, his shihakusho rumpled as usual. She choked, wavering, then found her voice, cracking and weak though it was.

"Sh-Shiba-taicho?"

Isshin sighed and nodded calmly, his expression still intensely gentle.

"It's Kurosaki now, actually." he said, a hint of amused kindness in the strength of his tone. "I ended up taking my wife's name. She wore the pants in the relationship anyhow..."

The joke fell flat in the face of Toushiro's disbelieving, tremulous stare.

"You __died.__ " she whispered, shaking her head. "They told me you died."

Isshin's expression changed, turning uncharacteristically serious. Ichigo and his sisters were staring openly at the exchange going on between the two, realizing slowly that the pair knew each other.

"I lost my spiritual pressure because of Aizen." he said quietly. Toushiro took another step towards her former captain, her shoulders and hands now violently shaking. The only thing she could focus on was this man who had been like a father to her. The father she'd thought she'd lost forever.

"I...I..." she stammered weakly. "...I thought..."

"I know, Toushiro. I'm sorry." Isshin apologized gently, reaching out and clasping her shoulders tenderly. She looked up him her eyes still wide and teary, and then slowly her lost expression began to darken.

"You...you..." she started quietly. But then her voice grew strong, and her expression turned furious.

"You __asshole!"__ she howled, slamming a fist into her former captain's jaw. The blow sent him reeling back, whining in pain, and without a second thought she leapt on him, pummeling into his stomach and all over his face without mercy. Lightning flashed in her green gaze, and when Isshin tried to run she snarled, kido flashing from her palm to bind him in place. She attacked again,furious beyond belief, the blazing fury at her abandonment by her former captain all suddenly spilling over in white-hot rage.

But just as she was going to land another blow, Yadomaru Lisa and a hastily-clothed Shihoin Yoruichi grabbed her arms and pulled her off the former shinigami captain, restraining her with no little difficulty as she fought, spitting obscenities at Isshin like watermelon seeds, jerking viciously. The pair of grown women kept their hands on her, however, refusing to release her. Yoruichi deftly wound an arm around her waist, lifting her bodily away from her crumpled former captain, and together the pair hauled her a safe distance from the downed man.

The Kurosaki children gaped in shock as their father staggered back to his feet.

"Toushiro, kid..." he said thickly, one eye starting to swell shut and his split lip making it difficult for him to speak, but Hitsugaya's strangled scream of anguish shut him up.

"Don't you 'kid' me!" she shrieked at him, still held fast by Yadomaru and Yoruichi. "You left! You freaking left! __Twice!__ Because you couldn't keep your __goddamn__ __nose__ out of the situation! Yamamoto __ordered__ you to stay, and you freaking __left!__ You abandoned Matsumoto and I in the Tenth and went off cavorting about the World of the Living, and then you __disappeared!__ "

Isshin sighed as Hachigen gave him an ice pack to put on his bruised face and winced as Tessai cast a healing kido on his cracked ribs. Hitsugaya hadn't pulled any punches, though her gigai had limited her strength.

"I didn't want to, kiddo." he said softly. "I was trying to protect our guys and I fell victim to one of Aizen's schemes."

"Do you even __realize__ what Matsumoto and I went through after you took off?!" Toushiro spat, still struggling. "Do you even __realize__ how many interrogations I had to sit through?! How freaking __scared__ I was when the Second Division showed up and threw me in prison on suspicion of conspiring to depose you?! I was nearly thrown in the Maggot's Nest! If Matsumoto hadn't been so adamant that I was innocent, Central 46 would have convicted me!"

Isshin's expression changed, turning into one of abject guilt.

"I'm sorry, Toushiro." he said sincerely, his voice quiet. "I didn't mean to put you through that."

His quiet response broke something in the young woman's anger, turning it to howling distress.

"You were supposed to be there." she said in a thin whisper, eyes tearing up again. "You were supposed to help me with Bankai. You were supposed to help me learn how to control Tenso Jurin. You were supposed to __be there__ to help shelter me from the idiot nobles when I finally figured out that I was gender-questioning. But instead you __weren't,__ and I had to hide it for __twenty years__ , until Kurotsuchi finally gave me the opportunity I needed to be myself."

Isshin had the decency to wince and look utterly ashamed of himself, even though the expression was marred by the swelling of his face and the ice pack on his blackening eye. The Kurosaki siblings, slowly catching on to the general idea of what Toushiro's rage stemmed from, began to stare at their father in disbelief. Ichigo especially looked awkward.

"Toushiro, I never meant to hurt you. You know that." Isshin said gently. Slowly, Hitsugaya stopped struggling, her expressive jade eyes still watering against her will.

"...I know." she whispered. "But it doesn't mean that you didn't."

There was a long sigh from Isshin, and slowly the man bowed from the waist, wincing creakily as his half-healed bruises pinched uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. Will you forgive me - if not now, then at some point in the future?" the dark-haired man asked. "After all, I can't have my Third Seat out for my blood - I wouldn't stand a chance."

An unwilling chuckle twitched from Toushiro's lips and she shook her head.

"...I forgive you, Baka-taicho." she murmured softly. Then Isshin grinned.

"Fantastic!" he said with a goofy grin. "I wouldn't want my fourth daughter to hate me forever and keep my lovely grandchildren from me! And Ichigo! You need to get on that!"

For a solid five minutes, Toushiro and Ichigo were utterly silent, faces slowly coloring as the full implication of the wackjob's words hit home. Hitsugaya went at least fifteen different shades of red, eyes widening in shock, vague shirtless-Ichigo images floating around her head, and 'eeped' quietly. Ichigo, on the other hand, looked mortified.

"You idiot!" he roared, following his girlfriend's lead and ramming a fist into his father's jaw. "I'm not even eighteen yet! And Toushiro and I just started dating a month ago! What kind of creep are you?!"

Isshin whimpered and scurried behind a highly-amused Urahara.

"But Ichigo, having children is the ultimate form of love! That's why your mother gave me you and your sisters!"

"Yeah, after you'd been __married__ for a year, and dating for two years prior to that! And talking about the girls and I like that is __creepy__ , Oyaji!" the incensed substitute howled, descending on his father in a flash of fury. Urahara casually stepped out of Ichigo's way, smiling behind his fan. The Vizards watched with amusement, as did Karin, though Yuzu looked significantly anxious.

However, the mention of grandchildren - and the implication that she could get pregnant at some point in time - made Toushiro remember exactly what she'd wanted to discuss with the Kurosaki family, although Isshin would probably know what she was talking about the minute she opened her mouth. After all, the Shiba clan had been one of the Four Great Noble Clans.

"Ichigo, Shiba-taicho...I need to tell you something." she said, her cool voice instantly cutting into the mayhem and freezing it. Both Kurosaki men froze, stood up, and turned to look at her in concern. The worry on her face was plain.

"That's right, you wanted to talk." Ichigo said belatedly, coming over to take her hand. "Sorry we got so caught up with my idiot of a father."

Toushiro smiled wanly at him, then jumped up on a nearby boulder and sat down. She sighed deeply, calmingly, then looked directly at Yoruichi, Urahara and Isshin.

"The Royal Family has come to Seireitei." she said without preamble, chewing her lower lip. "And I'm definitely transgender. It's not even a question anymore."

Yoruichi's usual coffee complexion went ashen, and Isshin's idiocy drained to a wavering, grim incredulity. Both, as members of noble houses, knew precisely what that meant for Toushiro.

"My god." Isshin breathed. "Toushiro, get out while you can. Urahara can make you a gigai-"

"I plan to claim the right to the Trial of Two Blades, Shiba-taicho." she said quietly, her green eyes burning. Yoruichi's breath caught.

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Hitsugaya?" she asked seriously. "If you screw this up, you'll be accused of high treason."

Ichigo's jaw dropped, and he stared at his girlfriend in shock, mouthing her name soundlessly. She took a shaky breath, then composed herself. The Vizards also stared, remembering the young captain's male self from the Winter War. Treason wasn't something lightly associated with any of the captains, even in jest. Especially since Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen had defected. And given Hitsugaya's intense hatred of the traitorous Aizen, the thought of her committing treason was almost ludicrous.

Yet the words had come out of her mouth, and the stern, stubborn set of her jaw made sure that they wouldn't be taken back.

"I know." she said solemnly. Her expression caught. "But...if I don't do this...the alternative isn't something I can bear."

Karin blinked in surprise.

"...Alternative?" she questioned curiously, looking at Toushiro in confusion. "What alternative?"

Hitsugaya clenched her fists into tight knots.

"The Royal Family wants Hyourinmaru's power because he's a balanced royal-Zanpakutou now that I'm female." she said, voice laced with poisonous anger and slight fear. "So if I'm caught...they'll...they'll try to breed his power into their family line. And after that, they'll rip him out of my soul and force me into either an unwanted marriage or a concubine-like position. Essentially I'll be forced to have children for them. My only true escape is to challenge for the throne of Seireitei - and if I fail, not only will I be a traitor, but I'll be completely at the Royal Family's mercy."

Karin and Yuzu both went pale. The Vizards, Hiyori and Lisa especially, gaped in horror. Ichigo's expression was likewise stricken.

"How...how long have you known about this?" he asked tremulously. Hitsugaya sighed dryly, her hand drifting up to rub over the thin scar beneath her right breast.

"Since the day I got stabbed protecting you." she said quietly. Ichigo's expression shattered into one of anger.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he cried, angry. Hitsugaya glared sharply at him.

"Because you're living." she snapped. "Because the royals can and __will__ use you as leverage against me if that's what it takes to get me to submit. There's a multitude of reasons. But the biggest one...I needed a plan. I didn't have one then. Now I do."

Ichigo appeared to calm down at that statement, though he still looked distinctly irate. The boulder Toushiro was sitting on creaked a bit as he leaned back against it, orange hair ruffled anxiously. Urahara blinked up at the young woman, his gaze calculating.

"What's your plan?" he asked cautiously. Hitsugaya shook her head, an obvious denial, then returned her gaze to Ichigo.

"Ichigo." she said softly, her knuckles white from anxiety. "This plan of mine...Do you trust me to do the right thing?"

Ichigo looked at her in confusion, so she shuddered and clarified.

"Even if it seems like I've joined the Dark Side, do you trust me to do the right thing? No matter what?" she pleaded. "I...I have to know before I go through with this."

The orange-headed substitute was quiet for a long moment, mulling his answer over in his mind. Then he swallowed hard and leaned up to peck Toushiro on her jawline.

"I trust you. So don't abuse that trust." he decided, his gaze serious. Then his smile turned playful. "And nice Star Wars reference."

Toushiro smiled faintly, a huge sense of relief washing through her at the sound of Ichigo's promise, and she turned that relief into a soft smile as she gazed down at her boyfriend. Her expression melted into pure, soft resolution, and she ducked her head briefly to hide her bittersweet upset.

"Thank you." she whispered weakly, and as the soft noise of Ichigo's assurances bubbled into her ear, only one thought was on her mind.

 _ _Freeing Aizen.__

* * *

 **Not OOC, right? And what do you think of the IchiHitsu progress so far? Please leave your thoughts in the box below! Thank you!**


	24. (Kind)napping

**A/N:** **And this is the last of the fluffy chapters before the turning point! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hitsugaya-chan, are you sure this looks right?"

Toushiro blinked owlishly at her dark-haired friend, then peered critically into Rukia's mixing bowl. The batter was smooth and rich, a layered chocolate ripple of liquid brownie, and Hitsugaya, deft as a cat, reached in and swiped her faintly-bluesilver-tipped finger across the smooth surface. Chocolate fix acquired, she stuck her finger in her mouth, licking the batter off with a knowing smile.

"Mmhmm." she hummed approvingly. "Tastes alright to me."

Rukia glared, brandishing her mixing spoon at her friend with a scowl.

"Lick your own batter." she sniffed. "This batch is __mine__."

Hitsugaya grinned lopsidedly, a smirking superiority rolling off her gold-toned skin.

"In __my__ mixing bowl. In __my__ __my__ house. Using __my__ ingredients." she replied smugly. "I think that entitles me to a taste or two."

Rukia rolled her eyes, then reached out and swiped a chunk of the sticky cookie dough Toushiro was making, popping the sweet, moist morsel into her mouth with a wink. The lump of dough in Toushiro's mixing bowl wilted a little bit, having lost two chocolate chips. Hitsugaya looked scandalized.

"Fine then, one for one." she replied, laughing as Toushiro sulked and glared at her. Then she jerked back at Hitsugaya made another lunge for the brownie batter. "Hey, get your own!"

"But you've got so much right there!" the ice-captain teased, making another grab for the yellow plastic bowl. Rukia dodged again, lifting the bowl out of her friend's reach.

"Not for you." she chirped merrily, skipping back a few paces until she reached the pans. Sticking her tongue out at Hitsugaya playfully, she poured the glutinous, chocolaty mixture into a large pan and quickly set it in the oven to bake. Toushiro scowled sulkily, her dark green stare flashing sadly as she stared through the see-through, dark-glass front of her oven at the pan of brownie batter.

"How rude." Hitsugaya sighed, turning back to her cookie dough. She continued rolling the sticky-sweet dough into small spheres, which she then arranged on a metal tray. Rukia watched her, cheerfully licking her wooden spoon.

"It just means that we'll have more brownies for later." she said with a smirk. "Why are you so sulky all of a sudden?"

Toushiro rolled her eyes, grumbling moodily, and slid the full tray of cookies into the oven just above the baking brownies. The delicious, hearty aroma of baking desserts began to seep into the air.

"I just wanted chocolate." she pouted, running her hands under the hot water for a brief, painful second while she waited for the germs to die, then dolloped hand soap on her palms and began to wash. Rukia followed suit, drying her hands on the towel that Toushiro offered, staring at her friend in concern. As soon as she'd returned the towel, however, she reached out and hesitantly laid her fingers on the petite captain's forehead. Hitsugaya was a few inches taller than her now, she noticed absently, focusing more on the typical cool smoothness of her friend's skin. Toushiro blinked down at her, emerald stare unusually open. She was acting strange...

"You don't have a fever..." Rukia said, puzzled. "Is anything wrong, Hitsugaya-chan?"

Toushiro stared at her with those luminous-green owl eyes. Distinct confusion passed across her face.

"Um...no..." her crisp voice was muddled by uncertainty. "...why are you asking?"

"You've been acting moody the past several days." Rukia said, her voice very matter-of-fact. At that, Hitsugaya's face cleared. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, uh, yeah." she stammered, turning a bit pink. "Er, well...I'm done growing. Physically, I mean. Unohana says that's the signal for this stupid accelerated puberty to move onto other things, a lot of which involves crazy hormones."

Rukia's expression turned knowing.

"PMS?" she asked with a small smile. Toushiro shifted again, squirming uncomfortably under Rukia's knowing grin.

"Well...I don't know." the captain said, eyes widening at the thought. "I suppose it could be. The middle of December is sorta early, though - Unohana was predicting late December or early January."

Rukia shook her head with a sigh, smiling fondly.

"PMS starts about a week to two weeks before a girl actually gets that annoying monthly visitor of ours." she said with a rueful smile. "You're probably going to start your period pretty soon if you've been PMSing for the past five days."

Hitsugaya let her head drop into her hands with a groan of discontent. Rukia laughed, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Oh, you'll get used to it." she said with a smirk. "We all have to eventually. Has Unohana given you the 'talk' yet?"

Hitsugaya scowled at the ground, muttering under her breath, but the embarrassed flush that rose up her gold-toned cheeks was answer enough for the Kuchiki adoptee. Rukia began giggling again, her expression silly and playful. Hitsugaya rolled her green eyes, then took her friend by the wrist and pulled her into her living room, pushing her into a couch. Rukia landed on her back on the soft cushions, squealing in surprise. Then she sat back up, a wicked gleam in her violet eyes. Carefully she picked up a nearby pillow and turned an impish glare on Hitsugaya. Toushiro smirked in anticipation.

"Bring it, Rukia." she taunted, grabbing a spare cushion from one of the nearby chairs. Rukia leapt at her friend, pillow at the ready, and the two ice-wielding girls blurred into a mess of flashing pillows and smirking grins. They chased each other around the house for a solid ten minutes, knocking over one of Hitsugaya's chairs in the process, until both of them were tired and laughing too hard to continue. Toushiro collapsed willingly onto her couch, and Rukia curled up on the other end of the couch, still laughing faintly. The pillows were tossed haphazardly into their original places, the soft fabrics wrinkled from the face-mashing that had gone on.

Tuckered out, Hitsugaya leaned back against of the arm of her couch, bosom heaving, her soft white haori and black kosode slipping down just a little bit to reveal a touch of black on her collarbone. Rukia blinked at it curiously, but then Toushiro shifted and the hint of black was gone.

"Should we check on the sweets?" Rukia suggested, curious about what seemed to be a tattoo oh her friend's collarbone but still a bit too reserved around the ice captain to pry. Toushiro sighed, then took a deep breath and nodded, standing.

"Probably not a bad idea."

The cookies were done by the time they peeked into the oven, and so they pulled the cookie sheets out while waiting on the brownies to finish. The aroma of freshly-baked sweets slowly permeated the kitchen, and Toushiro and Rukia eyed the still-hot cookies hungrily. By the time the brownies were done baking, each girl had staked out at least three cookies which she claimed as her own (there had been a little confrontation over the one with the most chocolate chips). But they paused to take the brownies from the oven and set them on the stovetop to cool, the chocolaty fragrance mixing with the cookie-scent in a preciously delicious manner. The oven they turned off, then went back to choosing cookies.

The clock struck four.

Without warning, Rukia pounced on Hitsugaya, knocking the petite captain backwards to the floor.

"Bakudo 1! Sai!"

Hitsugaya cried out in surprise as her arms were wrenched behind her back with surprising force. Rukia's expression was riveted to the kido spells, and as the young captain's reiatsu rose in an attempt to break free, Rukia cast two more spells in quick succession.

"Bakudo 4! Hainawa! Bakudo 9! Horin!"

A trail of yellow light entangled Hitsugaya's wrists and arms, locking them behind her back, and the Horin spiraled around the girl's waist, looping around the Hainawa and fusing with it to keep the girl's hands tied. Hitsugaya hissed in displeasure, kicking out as Rukia tried to approach, but then a very familiar voice sounded from behind her.

"Well done, Rukia."

Hitsugaya jerked her head around to see the ever-impassive face of Kuchiki Byakuya staring down at her in something like amusement. The stirring hints of panic began to flutter in Toushiro's pulse, and with a surge of reiatsu the Bakudo hold her began to crack. Byakuya's eyebrow rose in amused resignation, as if he'd expected something like this.

"Baukdo 61. Rikujokoro."

Hitsugaya let out a strangled yelp as the six beams of golden light flashed from the older captain's palm and slammed into her midsection, paralyzing her momentarily. The Sixth Division Captain knelt down on the floor in front of her and passed his hand across her eyes.

"Inemuri."

The sleep spell spiraled out from the palm of his hand and suddenly focusing became very difficult. Toushiro could feel her vision flickering in and out as her body turned to lead and her eyelids grew sticky with sleep. She struggled to hang on to consciousness, her reiatsu rising, but the effect of the sleeping kido made the ice-cold press of her reiatsu filter into a cool wash of feeble resistance as the spell strained her control.

Kuchiki's lips thinned, and his eyes narrowed. He forced more power into the spell - which was already quite powerful to begin with - trying to counteract Hitsugaya's resistance. And slowly, he won control and Hitsugaya slid gently into unconsciousness. Byakuya sighed in relief as the girl slipped into sleep, taking a brief moment to catch his breath.

Rukia leaned down and slid her hands beneath Hitsugaya's shoulders and knees, picking her up gently. She gazed up at her brother in concern.

"Nii-sama, are you alright?"

The older Kuchiki gave his sister a minute nod, his slate eyes bright with admiration.

"Hitsugaya-taicho is not called a prodigy without cause." he said calmly, panting in a strangely dignified manner. "If I had not caught her by surprise, I would have been overpowered."

Byakuya didn't wait for his younger sister to say anything, but instead straightened up and took the sleeping Hitsugaya from his sister's grasp, holding the petite young woman securely in his arms. His lips quirked.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

Hitsugaya woke up slowly to find that she'd been tucked snugly into a comfortable futon, still fully clothed save for her waraji and tabi. Warily, she sat up, eyes flickering around in mild confusion. She was in a small, neatly kept room with a cleanly swept wooden floor and a sliding door painted in white. Taped to that door was a sign printed it large block letters.

 _ _Open Me.__

Hitsugaya blinked at it in surprise, then looked around in sudden realization for her Zanpakutou. Hyourinmaru had been placed very respectfully on a stand in the far corner of the small room. She breathed a sigh of mixed relief and confusion. Why in Soul Society had she been kidnapped by the two Kuchiki? And why had Hyourinmaru been left in her possession if she'd been kidnapped?

Confused but no longer feeling vulnerable, Hitsugaya slid Hyourimaru's indigo sheath back into her pale blue obi, put on her tabi, and carefully opened the door. She came out at the end of a small hallway. On the wall to her left was another sign.

 _ _This Way.__

A large blue arrow had been draw just beneath the message, and now, baffled by these strange signs, Hitsugaya felt curious enough to follow it. At the end of the hallway, she was met with another sign, telling her which way to go. She followed two more signs like this before coming upon a pair of firmly closed double doors. Taped to them was a final sign.

 _ _Speak friend and enter.__

Toushiro felt all the tension she'd been feeling suddenly evaporate, and without a second thought she let out a soft chuckle and raised her voice slightly. This she recognized well enough. Ichigo's fanboy obsession with both Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings had started to rub off on her, after all.

"Mellon." she called with a smirk, eyes flashing with amusement, then reached out and opened the doors. The room beyond was large and dark - very dark. She squinted into the gloom, waiting for her eyes for adjust, and stepped a pace inside. Suddenly the lights flicked on, and several dozen people exploded from various hiding places, all smiling like idiots and shouting.

"SURPRISE!" they yelled. Toushiro nearly jumped out of her skin, Hyourinmaru clenched tightly in a slender hand before she knew exactly what was happening. But then a laughing Matsumoto ran forward, a bright smile on her face, and swept up her captain in a tight hug.

"Happy birthday, taicho!" she cheered. Hitsugaya's eyes went wide.

"It's my birthday?" she asked, bewildered. Matsumoto's smile slid instantly into a pout.

"Aw Taichoooo! You can't keep forgetting things like this!" she scolded lightly, her smile curled into fond exasperation. Momo and Rukia ran up from behind the buxom blonde lieutenant, each taking their turn at attempted-strangulation of the young captain. Hitsugaya put her foot down after Rukia hugged her however, amused annoyance blazing in her eyes.

"You! You kidnapping, backstabbing fiend!" she snapped, only half-kidding. Rukia laughed at the frustration on her friend's face, giving the young woman an apologetic bow.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, holding up her hands with a wide grin. Sly cheer bubbled in the violet depths of her eyes. "Matsumoto-fukutaicho told Nii-sama and I it would be the only way we could convince you to come!"

Hitsugaya wheeled on her lieutenant, fury blazing in her eyes.

"Matsumoto." she said, her voice low and dangerous. Rangiku giggled nervously, looking around frantically, then grinned widely.

"Oh look, Taicho! It's Ichigo-kun!"

The devious woman practically threw her captain into the substitute's arms, then fled the scene. Toushiro muttered something under her breath as the blonde lady skittered away, then squeaked in surprise as Ichigo leaned down and pecked her on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Shira-chan." he said affectionately. Hitsugaya went golden-rose, stammering ungracefully. Ichigo smiled and laced his fingers through hers, then paused to let her get her bearings back.

"Sorry for startling you - this was my idea." he said with a roguish grin. Toushiro sighed, finally composed again, her emerald gaze softening.

"No, it's fine." she replied, a wry half-smile touching her lips. "I'm the one who can't remember my own birthday."

Ichigo laughed, his orange hair like the sun, his eyes a playful warm chocolate.

"There's that." he agreed. "Come on now - Matsumoto will roast us both if you don't act like a social butterfly for at least five minutes."

Hitsugaya groaned, rubbing a temple with her free hand - Ichigo was entirely correct - and grudgingly allowed Ichigo to accompany her around the large room, where she fell into a pleasant conversation with Ukitake, Kyoraku, and surprisingly enough, Abarai. A large percentage of the upper-echelons of Seireitei had been invited and actually taken the time to show up, including a very reserved Soifon and a somewhat-standoffish Kira, who clearly still believed that Hitsugaya's transition was morally deviant but was trying to be polite anyway. Even Kurotsuchi Nemu had appeared, apologizing quietly for making very little progress with the reversing serum. Throughout the evening, various people approached her with birthday wishes and cards of all kinds, but those closer to her gave her gifts.

Kyoraku, as usual, gave her a case of alcoholic beverages, though this time wine seemed very prevalent. Ukitake gave her a large box of dark chocolates - she still cursed herself for telling him her one candy-weakness. From Unohana was a small jar of fragrant tea leaves from an expensive company, and from Yamamoto was a spherical bauble of crystal imbued with a strong ice-kido reiatsu that emitted cool air (bless the old man).

Hinamori discreetly gave her a small makeup-starter kit and a few silky scarves, one of which was patterned with tiny watermelons. Matsumoto - dear god **__**why**__** \- gave her several pieces of lingerie, and a sweet note explaining that comfortable undergarments were absolutely essential to a woman's closet. Hitsugaya didn't really want to agree, but she did anyhow - and chose to conveniently ignore that Matsumoto had somehow known what size bra to buy.

Ichigo, however, had given her a small square of plastic.

"What is this?" she asked, turning the square over in her hands curiously. Ichigo smiled.

"That is an all-season pass to the amusement park just outside of Karakura." he said with a grin. "The park doesn't open until April, but when it does that piece of plastic allows you to go to the park and ride every single one of the rollercoasters as many times as you want. No extra cost."

Toushiro considered the plastic again. Ichigo had talked about rollercoasters a bit, and she would admit, she was curious. So she narrowed her eyes in thought.

"What are they like?" she asked. Ichigo's smile turned somewhat wistful.

"It's the closest a human can get to flying when we don't have wings." he said wryly. "I think you'll like it."

Toushiro turned that over in her mind, then nodded with a smirk.

"You're probably right." she said. "Thank you, Ichigo."

But then a servant of some kind appeared and ran up to Byakuya, speaking to him very quietly for a moment before exiting in the same invisible way. Both Ichigo and Toushiro watched interestedly as Byakuya attempted to extricate himself from Hirako's conversation. Then Toushiro blinked, now recognizing her surroundings. This was Kuchiki Manor! Wow, that was slow of her.

Byakuya politely disengaged from the conversation he was having and walked sedately over to a small stand, upon which he leapt lightly. He cleared his throat, catching the attention of everyone present.

"I would like to inform everyone that refreshments will be served in ten minutes in the courtyard." he said in his usual stoic tone. "In addition, my House would like to invite all the captains, lieutenants, and the Substitute Shinigami to a formal dinner in honor of Hitsugaya-taicho's birthday in our formal dining room at 7:00. Most of you were informed of the dress requirements prior to this - there are rooms available for changing and members of my staff will assist you should you need it."

Toushiro felt her heart stop. She didn't have any formal wear with her besides her uniform - because she'd been __kidnapped__ \- but even so, the fact that Kuchiki-taicho was being so generous towards her was incredible. But then Byakuya looked directly at her, a slight gleam of a smile in his slate eyes.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, if you would follow Rukia." he said, a hint of warmth in his otherwise droll tone. "She has something for you."

Rukia slipped over to her friend, winked at Ichigo, then motioned for Hitsugaya to follow her. Toushiro looked around in confusion, unsure of herself as the large room began to empty, the crowd moving in the opposite direction from where she and Rukia were headed. But then Ichigo shrugged, as if to convey his lack of knowledge, and so Toushiro allowed Rukia to tug her further into the heart of the Kuchiki Manor.

They stopped just outside of a clean room with white, rice-paper walls and dark brown latticework. Rukia turned to face her friend, a wide smile on her face.

"So...I haven't given you my present yet." she said. "But it matches the one Nii-sama is giving you, so you'll have to see his first. Okay?"

Toushiro nodded uncertainly, puzzled, but then Rukia slid the door open and her jaw hit the floor.

Hanging gracefully from a specially-constructed stand made from polished dark wood was a furisode made of clear, sparkling turquoise silk lavished with embroidery in delicate yellow-orange shades of gold and soft, baby-green which swirled across the turquoise fabric in distinctly floral patterns. The design was of a beautiful vine-flower creeping over the entire kimono, with large golden flowers blooming on the long, sweeping sleeves and on the bottom of the furisode. A pale green obi with the same golden-yellow-orange thread embroidered on it lay in a nearby basket, and on a small pillow next to that was a gold, pale-turquoise and pale-green set of hair ornaments carved like delicate flowers.

Rukia pointed at the beautiful furisode with a smile.

"This is from Nii-sama." she said. "The hair clips are from me."

Toushiro stared in shock.

"I..."

Rukia tugged her friend forward with a smile.

"You don't have to wear it now - you can wait until you come out." Rukia reassured the ice-wielder. "Nii-sama also has a few men's kimonos left over from when he was about your size. You can borrow one of those. Most everyone here knows that we had to kidnap you to get you to come, so that's what they're expecting."

Toushiro slowly drifted over to the beautiful garment, emerald eyes watering with nameless emotion. She took a deep steadying breath, weighing her options in her mind. The Royal Guard and their namby-pamby asshole charges weren't due to arrive until tomorrow, and it was widely known in Seireitei that she was gender-neutral at the moment. Perhaps she could tweak that interpretation to be more gender-fluid than gender-neutral? Then she scoffed lightly, rolling her eyes. She was strong enough now to contend with the Royal Family in the Trial of Two Blades, but if she didn't have the chance to invoke that ritual then she was stuck. She needed allies, and quickly. But none of that had anything to do with if she owned a woman's kimono as a gender-neutral individual.

For the first time in her life, Hitsugaya found herself deeply appreciative of Kurotsuchi's intermittent incompetency - because without it, she'd be trapped in a thirteen-year-old male body, still struggling to find herself.

She took a deep breath then turned to Rukia with a nervous energy that had the Kuchiki girl breaking into a wide grin.

"What good is a furisode if I don't wear it?" Hitsugaya asked, lips twitching into the semblance of a silly smile. She was starting to look a bit giddy. Rukia cheered softly, pumping a fist into the air.

"Yes!" she crowed. "That's the spirit! Do you want to get ready together? I have a few helpers who always help me with hair, makeup, and actually putting the darn kimonos on - it's three times more difficult than it looks - and they'd be more than willing to help you too."

Toushiro's expression was touched on a level that Rukia hadn't ever before seen, some nameless emotion rising to tinge her gold-toned face with cold fire. The green stare hardened into grim determination for a split second, so quickly that Rukia almost missed the solemnity of that brief look, but then her barely-contained giddy excitement returned in full force. The white-haired girl laughed, emerald eyes a little watery.

"Yeah." she said softly. "Thank you, Rukia."

Rukia shook her head, suddenly looking uncharacteristically gentle and uncannily like her sickly captain.

"It's nothing, Toushiro-chan." she brushed it off easily. "You're my friend. Now, come on! Let's make you pretty! I want to see Ichigo''s face!"

"Oi, Rukia!"

* * *

"Quit fiddling with it, Toushiro-chan." Rukia scolded her friend lightly, peeking into the Kuchiki clan's formal dining room from a secluded side entrance. Many of the captains and lieutenants were already seated around the low table, all dressed in formal attire. Kyoraku was particularly resplendent in a vivid ruby set of kimono and hakama, completed by a deep violet haori and his typical pink woman's kimono draped over his shoulders. Matsumoto was sitting next to him, her lips swiped neatly with warm red lipstick and her blue eyes outlined in a dark violet which pleasantly complemented the orchid silk of her furisode. Both appeared completely at ease in the fancy attire, and they were not the only ones. Soifon was dressed in a light yellow kimono that entirely clashed with her personality but still looked pretty on, and she seemed completely unaware of how the color softened her - she still spoke to Oomaeda with the same amount of rancor that was usual for their relationship. Only Ichigo, who had brought a spare outfit from home, seemed uncomfortable. He was dressed in a very handsome shade of russet offset by a cream haori, his unruly orange hair somewhat more subdued than usual.

"I've never worn one of these before - cut me some slack!" Hitsugaya hissed, but obediently dropped her hand from the ornament in her soft white hair. Rukia hushed her, her violet gaze made more piercing by the dark eyeliner ringing her eyes.

"Shh. Everyone's almost ready!" she whispered back, still watching the proceedings in her brother's beautiful dining room. She did a quick head count. The only one missing aside from herself and Hitsugaya was Ukitake. But just as the thought entered her mind, her captain walked in, clad in vivid green, a smile on his kind face, and took a seat on Soifon's other side, leaving only two seats open at the table - hers and Hitsugaya's.

She caught her brother's eye, and watched as he gave a barely perceptible nod. Everything was ready.

She turned to her somewhat disgruntled friend with a wide smile, then motioned for her to take a step back from the doorway. Toushiro regarded her levelly for a few moments, her icy green gaze perfectly fixed on Rukia's creamy face. Then she sighed and backed up until she was out of sight of the occupants in the other room. Rukia smiled broadly at her, then slid the door open with a slightly giddy smile, mindful of the long lavender sleeves of her furisode.

Several of the captains and lieutenants turned to look as Rukia took a few steps into the large room, confused by her mysterious entry from another doorway. Then Byakuya nodded slightly.

"Well, Rukia?" he asked stoically, keen slate glare flickering to the open doorway. The young noblewoman giggled a bit, then turned to smirk knowingly at Ichigo before returning her attention to her brother.

"She's stunning." the Kuchiki princess said quietly, her hands folded neatly in front of her. Byakuya's expression cleared, the minute curiosity on his narrow face swelling to something like anticipation. The hint of a smile played about his narrow mouth.

"Then bring her in." he ordered blankly. "The guest of honor should not be absent long."

Rukia nodded, turned back to the door, and with only a few words of encouragement, pulled a beautiful young woman into the light. Every jaw dropped - including those among the less tolerant/intolerant crowd.

Ichigo could feel his heart pounding in the cavern of his chest as his intense brown stare traced over the gentle curves of his girlfriend's face. Her emerald eyes were lined in warm brown kohl, and a faintly shimmery golden-bronze eyeshadow tinged the corners of her piercing green gaze. A golden-tan shade of blush had rouged her cheeks, accentuating her cheekbones, and a dark apricot-pink lipstick had been painted on her mouth. Her silky white hair had been pinned neatly up with an ornate hair clip into a half-up hairstyle on the back of her head, revealing that her ears were just ever-so-slightly pointed, and the clear turquoise furisode she wore whispered as she took a discreetly-anxious step further into the room, the large, intricate knot of her pale green obi looking distinctly flowerlike.

He swallowed, and then, before anyone could say a single word, he stood.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, completely straight-faced. Toushiro blinked in surprise, eyes widening, then tipped her head to the side, the ghost of a smirk crossing over her features.

"You usually don't ask." she commented lightly. Ichigo stepped over to her, russet kosode and hakama rustling lightly, cream haori billowing from his shoulders.

"I'm sort of afraid to touch you right now." he admitted wryly. "I think I'm having a vision of a goddess, you see, and angering an all-powerful female is usually a recipe for disaster..."

Toushiro rolled her eyes and lightly smacked Ichigo's upper arm.

"Oh, stop." she complained, tilting her head up so that Ichigo could give her a brief kiss, but she was smiling faintly. "I take it that you like the furisode?"

Ichigo nodded emphatically as he pulled back from his girlfriend's soft lips.

"Very much so." he said with a starstruck smile.

Across the room, Byakuya eyed the young woman critically, examining the furisode with a keen eye. Finally, he nodded, appearing to approve.

"It seems to fit adequately." the nobleman commented. "Is it to your liking, Hitsugaya-taicho?"

Toushiro raised her gaze to Byakuya's and bowed, her hands clasped together. Several of the captains and lieutenants gaped in surprise at the sight of the young captain's overt femininity (1).

"Immensely so, yes." she replied. "I don't know how to thank you, Kuchiki-taicho."

Suddenly, Sasakibe stood up, eyes wide.

"Kuchiki-taicho! You gave Hitsugaya-taicho a furisode?!" he exclaimed, hands knotting together in consternation. Kuchiki raised a slender brow, looking at the obviously-upset lieutenant with cool aplomb.

"Yes." he confirmed calmly. "It is tradition for a young woman to receive a furisode upon reaching adulthood, after all, and though Hitsugaya-taicho has not quite matured fully in the physical sense, she can easily surpass many of the current captains on a psychological level."

Hitsugaya went a touch pink in the face at the praise, taking her seat next to Byakuya at the head of the table. But Sasakibe looked incensed.

"Hitsugaya-taicho is __male.__ " he said, his tone incredulous yet tinged with righteous anger. Kira, Iba, and Oomaeda's expressions mirrored his. "Why are you __encouraging__ this repulsive deviance?!"

Byakuya's slate glare flashed with sudden fury, and he wasn't the only one. Kyoraku, Unohana, Matsumoto, Hinamori, Rukia, Ichigo, and even Ukitake glared at the lieutenant, all looking startlingly murderous. But then a gruff voice cut through the tension with commanding coldness.

"Sasakibe-fukutaicho, if you have an issue with Captain Hitsugaya's current performance as a captain, you may discuss it with me in the privacy of the First Division, and I may consider its merit." Yamamoto said quietly, his creaky old voice smoldering with fiery embers of anger. The table went deadly silent. Yamamoto opened one old eye, the beady gaze burning with protective dragonfire.

"However." he said, his tone clipped. "However, if you needlessly harass the youngest of my captains for her gender preferences, I will have no trouble __punishing__ you appropriately."

The threat was utterly clear, and Ichigo carefully nodded his thanks at the old man when he knew Toushiro wasn't looking. Sasakibe stared in complete disbelief at the old man he had dedicated his life to serving.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho..." he mumbled strickenly. A soft puff of furious smoke wisped from the ends of the old man's bushy mustache.

"This threat stands for any of the captains and lieutenants currently sitting in this room." he rumbled sedately. "If I hear that you are harassing or withholding the respect Hitsugaya-taicho deserves due to her experimental-gender status __there will be consequences__. She can perform her duties. She can discipline her men. And unlike most of you, she can get her paperwork turned in on time. Therefore, until you can sufficiently prove to me that her __gender__ harms the standard of her work, I will hear no more of this."

The derision in the old Soutaicho's voice was clear, and then he turned his attention to the young woman sitting quietly between Byakuya and Ichigo. His furious expression softened.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, Kuchiki-taicho, I apologize on behalf of my lieutenant for his unseemly outburst." he rumbled calmly. Then his beard twitched up, and a hair-hidden smile formed on his grizzled face.

"And Hitsugaya-taicho?"

Toushiro raised her head, meeting the Captain-Commander's gaze, a trace of hastily-concealed melancholy in her startlingly green eyes, but the emotionless wall she had put up revealed her upset nonetheless.

"Yes sir?"

Yamamoto gazed at the young woman seated at the table in something like pride.

"You look lovely, child." the old man said finally, beard still twitching to reveal his smile. "And I do hope that my lieutenant's rudeness did not ruin your birthday."

The wall cracked, a hint of cold amusement shining though that gold-toned face. Hitsugaya's gaze flashed with stormy, malicious playfulness, and she reached out and laid a small hand on the table, palm down to avoid revealing the faint silvery-white and blue filigree tipping her fingers.

"Oh, I do not concern myself with the opinions of those weaker than me." she said coolly, staring across the table at Sasakibe, as if willing him to rise to the bait. "Unless, of course, I actually place value on them as people."

Sasakibe's face darkened with anger but a single warning glance from Yamamoto silenced him before he could speak. Byakuya shot a cold glare in the hapless lieutenant's direction, then clapped his hands once. Almost immediately a group of servants walked in bearing plates loaded with delicious foods. The nobleman loftily glossed over Sasakibe's unpleasantness with a smile.

"Dinner is served." he said calmly. "Kyoraku, I have instructed my staff to limit the amount of sake you consume this evening."

"Aw, Kuchiki-taichoooo~!"

"And Ukitake-taicho, there is a medic on standby should you become ill." Byakuya bulldozed over Kyoraku's complaint with aplomb. Ukitake hid a laugh behind his hand at his friend's antics (the puppy eyes were back, and were being ignored, as usual), and nodded gratefully to the dinner party's host.

"Ah, thank you!" he said with a kind smile. "Hopefully I won't need it this evening! I'd hate to take the attention away from the birthday girl."

Hitsugaya shot a disgruntled look in Ukitake's direction and rolled her eyes in exasperation, eliciting a laugh from the senior captains. They knew she'd like nothing more than to have the spotlight drawn off her.

From then on the evening progressed well, with plenty of good cheer and smiles from many different parties. In fact, the evening went so well (Kyoraku somehow had managed to spike everyone's drinks, and nobody knew how) that nobody noticed when one member of their party stood up from the table and sidled out the door, reaching for the paper in their breast pocket. The paper crinkled lightly as the person opened it up, looking once more at the schematics of the diagrams inside, and bit their lip. Diagrams of Muken stared up at the person. They'd copied the notes that had fallen from Hitsugaya's pocket and replaced the original in the young captain's desk.

"She's up to something..."

* * *

(1) In Japan, people greet each other by bowing (but you knew that already). Men bow with their hands at their sides. Women bow with their hands clasped in front of them. Hitsugaya bowed with her hands in this latter position.

 **Remember to review! :)**


	25. Royal Breakout

**A/N:** **And - GO! Romance has been established. Now onto Part 2! Enter the Royal Family!**

 **I'm sorry for this being a little late, though. The most recent chapter was a bear to write. Aizen's so _hard_ to get right, dammit! He's probably going to end up a little OOC... :(**

 **Also, just so I can get a sense of who you think has Hitsugaya's diagram/how well am I doing misleading you, please answer the poll on my profile page! Thank you!**

* * *

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Go..." Hitsugaya whispered into the quiet of her office, her voice almost silent. A flicker of orange power crackled in the air in front of her. "Akaen, go. While I'm at the ceremony welcoming the royals."

There was no response, but the flare of orange power vanished into nothingness, and Toushiro knew her message had gone through. Slowly, trying to hide her nerves, she wiped her sweaty hands on the legs of her hakama. Today was the day, and she'd make the first move. There was no better time to ward the royals away from Seireitei than to let the man they'd psychologically destroyed loose for a short period of time. Of course, if all went according to plan, then Akaen, Kotabiki, and one other Kenmeinarei spirit would escort Aizen into Rukongai - busting through the sekisekki wall in the process - before disappearing into the Kenmeinarei dimension. She, like the other captains, would attempt to give chase, and only non-life-threatening injuries would be dealt. Akaen and Kotabiki were powerful enough where such a tactic would be simple for them to pull off. Aizen, however, was the wild card. If he screwed up, the entire operation could go to hell exceedingly quickly.

Toushiro stood up, setting a last file in her outbox, ready for one of her Fourth Seats, the newly married one, to file it in the Tenth Division's somewhat-extensive archives. Then she straightened her bow on her back, shifting the angle at which Hyourinmaru was pinned to her back by her obi. Then her lips pursed in a scowl and she strode confidently out of her office, her steps quick and purposeful, her haori billowing about her like a cloud. Her subordinates saluted as she passed through her division, with a few notable noble exceptions. She glared at these few, then nodded at their supervising officers with a disdainful toss of her head and left them to their punishment.

She walked silently out of the Tenth Division, a characteristic blankness enclosing her emotions, and made her way towards the First Division, where the royals and their guards would be staying during the duration of their time in Seireitei. It was also where they would be arriving.

She felt a familiar presence drift by her as she passed the Eighth Division, a sake-scented presence.

"Kyoraku." she greeted neutrally, not even turning her head to look at the flamboyant captain. Kyoraku tipped his straw sakkat jauntily and winked.

"Hello, little lady." he said cheerfully, then leapt back as a wave of ice shot from Hitsugaya's Zanpakutou.

"Don't call me little." she seethed, resheathing her Zanpakutou. Kyoraku bowed extravagantly.

"My apologies, Hitsugaya-chan." he said, his voice grandiose. "I must say, you're looking well considering the amount of alcohol I slipped everyone last night."

Toushiro rolled her eyes.

"You know, Matsumoto __is__ my lieutenant." she reminded the lazy captain with a sigh. "I'm perfectly capable of holding my liquor. It helps to be able to freeze the alcohol molecules in my blood."

Kyoraku pouted.

"Aw, no fair." he complained, but then Komamura joined their small group, eyes somewhat bloodshot though he was functioning in a normal manner. The anthropomorphic captain growled down at Kyoraku.

"What in Soul Society possessed you to get everyone drunk last night?" the wolflike captain grumbled. "Poor Kurosaki-san is still underage in the human world, you realize that?"

Before Kyoraku could respond, Toushiro cut in.

"Kyoraku's a depraved old man." she sniped. "Don't tell me you weren't expecting him to try and corrupt my boyfriend at some point."

Komamura sighed, but his furry lips twitched into a smile.

"Alas, I cannot deny that." he said. Kyoraku groaned melodramatically.

"You two are bullying me~!" he complained. "Have you been taking lessons from Nanao-chan~?"

Komamura smiled again, but Toushiro just tossed her head in scorn.

"We don't need to take lessons to heckle __you__." she asserted, her voice saccharine. "Its innate for most people with common sense to know how to berate a nonsensical womanizer like you."

Kyoraku fell back in mock surprise, pretending to swoon.

"Ah, a grievous wound!" he gasped. "My pride shall never recover!"

"Somehow your pride has survived your lieutenant's beatings; I'm sure my opinion won't damage it any further." Hitsugaya retorted. Komamura and Kyoraku began to laugh, and Hitsugaya allowed a cool chuckle to slip as well.

"I suppose you're quite right, Hitsugaya-chan." Kyoraku said finally as they reached the gates of the First Division. "Nanao-chan's brutality is far beyond what yours could be."

They were allowed through the gates and shown into a large courtyard by a few unseated members of the First Division. Several of the captains were already there, though Zaraki, Muguruma and Hirako were noticeably absent as of yet. Yamamoto nodded to the three new arrivals as the found their places in the long single line spreading across the length of the courtyard. The three missing captains trickled in a few moments later, Zaraki being the last, as was usual. Then Yamamoto spoke, his voice gruff and stern.

"When the Royal Family arrives, I expect that all of you assume a supplicant's position." he said sternly, referring to the one-knee posture that lieutenants and lesser seated officers often adopted on the rare occasions that they were called to the captains' meetings. "You may only speak if spoken to first, and when speaking to them, use extremely polite language only. You can do nothing to retaliate against them, even if they insult you or hit you. Their word is law beyond any I can make. Do you understand?"

Surprisingly, everyone nodded. Even Zaraki looked like he understood the gravity of the situation - but then again, he didn't like fighting people who were always primly dressed, insufferable nobles. Unless they were Byakuya, but that was a strange rivalry from the beginning.

A glowing door suddenly materialized in the middle of the courtyard, ornate pillars marking either side of it. Yamamoto turned to face it, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

"They are here."

Immediately, all of the captains except the Soutaicho dropped to one knee, planting a fist on the ground, heads bowed in submission. Hitsugaya tried to relax her jaw, carefully cooling the anger boiling in her chest with cold reiatsu, and managed to do so just before the doors opened in a flash of weak grey light.

The Royal Guard stepped calmly out, followed by a family of four dressed in the most ridiculous and expensive garments which could possibly exist. All four of the richly-clad people carried Zanpakutou as their waists, even the younger son, who only appeared to be thirteen or fourteen years old physically. The father and elder son both had black hair and black eyes, but the father's skin was a warm tan. The mother, on the other hand, was a pale woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes. Both of her sons had inherited her skin tone. And the younger son had clear hazel eyes and plain brown hair which was a shade lighter than his mother's. It was also wavy.

Without warning, Hitsugaya realized exactly who she was looking at. The Royal Family...and Aizen's son. Her breath caught silently, and her gaze slid towards the Zanpakutou at his side. Kyoka Suigetsu, the hilt a watery, weakened green, glinted back at her, agony in the sealed blade.

Ichibei Hyousube stepped forward, his bulging eyes fixed on Yamamoto with blank focus.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho." he said solemnly. "It is my honor to present the Royal Family of Seireitei."

Immediately, Yamamoto bowed to the family of four, his expression utterly calm.

"It is the Gotei 13's great pleasure to receive the crown of Soul Society." he said, his language the stilted politeness required when speaking to dignified superiors. Ichibei nodded incrementally, clearly approving of the response, then stood aside as the King approached, the Queen and his two heirs following close behind him. The Royal Guard fell in position around the royals, completely ignoring the row of captains in favor of providing a firm defense for their charges. The royals didn't seem to notice, though the younger son did glance quickly up at Kirio, something like nervous worry and melancholy exasperation on his face.

"So you are the Captain-Commander?" the King asked, eyeing Yamamoto with something like mild disdain. Yamamoto didn't react, only bowing and confirming the statement politely. The Soul King ran a critical eye over the line of kneeling captains behind Yamamoto.

"And these are the captains of the Gotei 13." the King murmured quietly. "...I expected a more impressive group."

Hitsugaya could feel her ire spike, but she kept her temper under control. It wouldn't do to lose her cool in such a situation. But she could sense the annoyance of her colleagues rising dangerously close to detectable levels. Yamamoto sighed.

"I assure your Majesty that the capability of my captains is beyond that of their appearance." he said politely, accepting the slight without complaint. "All here have attained and mastered Bankai save one, whose reiatsu and swordwork alone places him at the fighting capability necessary for captains."

The King appeared to ignore the statement, instead turning to his wife and sons.

"I assume you wish to settle in before the search, Eiko?" the man said, his voice somewhat clipped. The blue-eyed queen nodded primly.

"Yes, my lord." she replied, then jerked her head around toward her children, regarding them coolly. "Yuuma, be sure that the spatial distortion is set up around your elder brother Katsuo's room this evening. We don't want anyone attacking the future king."

Yuuma's hazel gaze was pleading, but he bowed obediently. Hitsugaya watched him quietly, the winter-sky essence of her soul permeating the cold air that flowed effortlessly around the entirety of Seireitei. The melancholy in Prince Yuuma's breaths was tangible for her. Then the queen spoke again, her tone bland.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho, won't you introduce your captains?" she asked drolly, obviously only fractionally interested. Katsuo and Yuuma looked on in interest, however, and the King, seeing their sudden focus, sighed and allowed the pleasantries to take place. Yamamoto nodded wordlessly, and so Soifon raised her head slightly and introduced herself. They went down the line in this fashion, each captain reciting their name and rank politely. And then it was her turn. She looked up, her gaze inadvertently locking with Yuuma's.

"I am the Captain of the Tenth Division, Hitsugaya Toushiro. At your service." she said calmly. Both of the boys recoiled in shock, as did the parents. Crown Prince Katsuo gaped openly. Even the Royal Guard stared.

"Your name is Toushiro?" Katsuo spat. "You are a girl!"

Toushiro inwardly rolled her eyes, but kept her expression neutral.

"I am not female by choice, your Highness." she said, her tone flat though the words tried to catch in her throat. "There was an accident with a genderswapping medicine in the Research and Development division some months ago, and unfortunately I fell victim. The counter has not yet been created."

The royals relaxed considerably, reassured by the statement, and Hitsugaya felt her pride sting. She was transgender, dammit! She shouldn't have to pretend that she was the result of some mishap. But then their limited attention had shifted to Zaraki, and she was forgotten, left to stay silent with her thoughts. But the peace didn't last long.

 _ _BOOM.__

A sudden explosion rocked the ground, sending everyone to their knees - if they weren't already. The earth rippled, a shockwave of power pulsing through the dirt and stone, and suddenly the alarm began to sound, the ominous clacking resounding throughout Seireitei. The Royal Guard formed a defensive perimeter around the Royal Family in seconds.

 _"_ _ _Attention all shinigami! Muken has been breached! I repeat, Muken has been breached! Hostiles sighted!"__

The captains, Hitsugaya included, all froze, lead flushing their veins. They knew the color was draining from their faces. Almost instantly, Yamamoto turned to Ichibei, his gruff old face frighteningly serious.

"We need to get into position." he said curtly - there was no time for politeness. Ichibei's eyes were wide in surprise. Nobody in living memory had ever broken out of Muken - the defenses were too perfect. So he glanced at his confused and annoyed king, as if asking permission, then nodded.

"Go, Yamamoto." he said. "The Royal Guard will defend the King and his family."

Yamamoto turned to his captains.

"Soifon-taicho, Hitsugaya-taicho, Kuchiki-taicho, and Hirako-taicho, go ahead - act under your own discretion to eliminate this threat. Unohana-taicho, prepare the Fourth for possible casualties. Muguruma-taicho, Otorobashi-taicho, Komamura-taicho and Zaraki-taicho, you are on standby for backup. Kyoraku-taicho, Ukitake-taicho, you are with me to secure the safety of the Royal Family and the individual divisions. Kurotsuchi-taicho, you are to analyze the breach and report as soon as you have discovered something."

As one, the twelve captains answered.

"Yes sir!"

Then they vanished in a flash of Shunpo, each to their respective locations.

Hitsugaya clenched her fists tightly as she, Soifon, Hirako, and Byakuya leapt through the First Division towards the smoking crevice in the earth where Muken had been ruptured. Fire blazed in wild, crackling infernos all around, and the earth was cracked in long fissures, causing some nearby buildings to sink haphazardly into the ground. Smoke billowed from the destroyed earth, but there was no trace of reiatsu.

But then the ground heaved again and exploded upwards, sending rock and fire eighty feet (23m) into the air. Hitsugaya dove out of the way as a large boulder fell towards her, crushing a nearby building, then coughed harshly as smoke puffed into her lungs. Behind her, she could hear Kuchiki and Hirako also coughing, and Soifon was somewhere off to her left. Her eyes were watering, but as she rushed through the smoke and ash-filled air, she suddenly came upon a gaping hole in the ground, ringed with calm fire.

Akaen and Kotabiki leapt out of this crevice, fire blazing along their arms and legs, thick coils of colored Deep-magic wound about their fists. Akaen's leathery wings were tipped with scarlet flame at the points, his muscular tail coiled about Aizen's waist. Hitsugaya froze at the sight of them, ignoring the third Kenmeinarei spirit as the grey and brown clad woman with earthy tattoos clambered out of the crack in the earth. Then she drew her sword, gaze flickering to Aizen's limp form carefully. The man appeared to be unconscious.

"Put Aizen Sousuke down and surrender yourselves!" she called coldly, well-aware that her voice would carry. She raised her reiatsu, a cold wind clearing the area of smoke to reveal a fairly small clearing ringed by cracked, scorched buildings in various states of collapse and several fallen shinigami being nursed by their fellows. The three Kenmeinarei spirits just gazed at her, Aizen still carried gently in Akaen's tail. Kuchiki-taicho, Soifon, and Hirako appeared behind her, Zanpakutou in their hands. Slowly, she drew Hyourinmaru.

"If you won't surrender...I'll have to eliminate you." she said, her voice low and deadly. She locked eyes with Akaen, emerald to ember-orange. Slowly, he set Aizen in Kotabiki's grasp, then put out the fiery magic on his hands before leaping forward. Hitsugaya barely managed to parry his punch with the flat of her sword, her reiatsu flaring sharply, the sealed majority blazing uselessly beneath her limiter. She struggled, sliding backward, Akaen's blow crumpling the buildings behind her, then bowed back, allowing her attacker to slide over her head. She knew that she was no match for the Kenmeinarei spirit while the vast majority of her powers were sealed, but she still had to act as if she was putting up a good fight.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens! Hyourinmaru!"

She called out her Shikai in a shout, but was startled to find that the wings, armor, and crown of ice she'd become accustomed to weren't present. Her eyes widened in realization. The Lotus Seals restricted her power to its initial level. Her old, immature Shikai and Bankai were still intact!

The dragon of ice shot from the end of her sword with a roar, slamming into Akaen's torso, but then the Kenmeinarei spirit was gone in a flash of flame. Hitsugaya looked around, baffled by his disappearance, then hastily spun and ducked a clawed swipe from behind as Akaen leapt out of a nearby fire. For a moment she felt safe, but then something unyielding slammed into her side and the world blurred into a rush of color and smoke and fire as she was thrown by Akaen's tail.

She crashed through the wall of an unstable building and brought the roof down on her head as one of the walls was destroyed. Her back and side aching, she fled the building, Shunpoing out just in time to escape being buried in a section of the roof. Then she lunged, the keen crescent arc of her blade severing a lock of scarlet hair as Akaen spun over her controlled swing. He landed on his hands, and let a sweeping kick fly into Toushiro's side. She bounded over the freely swinging limb, spinning her hands expertly around the chain attaching her moon-blade to her sword and launched her Zanpakutou like a javelin at the fiery Kenmeinarei.

He caught her sword in midair, wrapping his fingers around it as if in the split second before he'd touched it the blade had become dull. Toushiro froze and Kuchiki, who had been assisting Soifon in her attack on the earthy Kenmeinarei spirit, half-turned just in time to see a sight oddly familiar to when Aizen had stopped Ichigo's Bankai.

Hyourinmaru's blade couldn't pierce Akaen's skin.

Toushiro was jerked forward with a merciless tug, her hands caught in the chain, and Akaen caught her sword arm deftly, dropping Hyorunmaru just long enough to wrap his other hand around the young captain's throat. Hitsugaya choked in surprise, green stare wide in horror and she lashed out, icy reiatsu whiplashing about the place in vicious winter storms. Akaen gazed at her sorrowfully, then sighed.

"I apologize, young shinigami girl." he said gently, the apology twofold considering he was her ally. "I am not your enemy."

Then he released his chokehold on Hitsugaya's neck, braced his forearm against the girl's elbow and jerked back on her wrist. There was a crack like a gunshot, and the bone splintered.

Hitsugaya cried out in pain as her sword arm broke, but that pain was short lived, because Akaen then slammed the heel of his hand into her ribcage. There was an audible 'snap' as several ribs cracked, the tell-tale 'whoosh' of breath leaving her lungs, and the world went patchy around her. She stumbled back, injured, and wavered for a moment before yanking Hyourinmaru back into her hands. Another wave of dragon-shaped ice blasted from the end of her blade towards Akaen, who dodged with inhuman grace and launched an answering surge of scarlet flame. Hitsugaya Shunpoed over the attack, her pupils dilated in pain, her breathing somewhat stilted because of her cracked ribs. The Wildfire dragon came down on her, wings and tail lashing, and without warning a pair of long, sharp knives appeared in his hands. His wrist blurred, and Hitsugaya felt wind whistle past her cheek, opening a thin slice of red as the knife flew past her head. Another knife materialized in Akaen's toffee hand.

"Hyourinmaru!" Toushiro yelled, once again forming the dragon of ice. The icy beast coiled protectively around her, blocking the knives thrown in her direction, and then lashed out with a spectacular tail whip which knocked the Kenmeinarei spirit back a pace when it hit. Ice clung to his tattooed toffee skin for a brief moment, but he shook himself and it shattered effortlessly. Hitsugaya affected surprise and slight concern, then raised her blade to the sky, her broken arm screaming in pain.

"Bankai! Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" she shouted, her body temperature dropping sharply. Ice crept over her skin, the wings, tail, ice claws, and lotus-flower timer exploding in winter beauty behind her. Ice closed over her broken limb, setting it in a makeshift split so she could still wield her sword, and she winced as the break went numb. Unohana would kill her for that.

Her reiatsu shot up in glowing blue-white - behind her, she could feel Kuchiki-taicho's reiatsu doing the same, and she knew he was being pressured heavily, considering that Soifon and Hirako were already unconscious courtesy of Kotabiki and the earthy Kenmeinarei woman. The sky began to darken, clouds swirling over head gently, and she narrowed her eyes. Her control over Tenso Jurin was tenuous at best with this immature Bankai of hers. Akaen watched calmly for a long moment, his glowing orange eyes fixed on her face, the scarlet loincloth he wore flapping in the cold wind rippling from her in waves. She raised her sword and swung. Ice exploded from the tip of her blade.

"Hyoryu Senbi!" she shouted, the icicles spearing towards her opponent with terrible speed and force. The scarlet-haired dragon leapt into the air, and Toushiro let a feral smirk cross her face.

"Hyoryu Senbi! Zekku!" she shouted, slicing up with her blade. Crystallized water shot into the sky, splintering towards Akaen with alarming velocity. But Akaen narrowed his emberlike orange eyes, and as the ice sped towards him, breathed fire. The ice attack crumbled like a dried-out sandcastle, allowing the geyser of flame to gust towards the shinigami captain on the ground. Hitsugaya sprang into the sky, her wings of ice beating once, twice, and she soared into the clouds before diving back down towards Akaen, blade extended. She focused her reiatsu, a thin ring of mist spiraling from her blade, and flew through the hoop.

"Ryusenka!"

She could feel the incomplete power simmering on her skin, powerful yet immature, and she wondered briefly about how strong this infant Bankai had used to feel - now it was merely a Shikai compared to her full strength. Yet by shinigami standards it was immensely powerful.

Akaen made no move to run from her attack, only sighed and allowed her blade of ice to encase him completely in the unfolding lotus bloom of frozen reiatsu and water.

Hitsugaya landed on the ground, looking up at the great flower of ice with something like satisfaction. But then the ice shattered in a cloud of mist and Akaen stepped out, utterly unharmed. He sighed, eyes narrowing. And then he vanished.

Suddenly her skull split, a strong, sharp pain in the back of her head making fireworks explode over her vision, and her world blurred as the Kenmeinarei spirit's merciless blow sent her falling into the darkness. But she fought it just long enough to slam a breaking icy wing into Akaen's jaw and knock him off balance before toppling to the scorched ground, beaten, pain returning as the ice numbing her injuries melted. She knew he'd taken it easy on her.

Hitsugaya fought to focus her vision as it darkened and lightened and darkened again. She could see flickers of the almost-finished battle the Kenmeinarei were conducting above her, but her sense of time seemed to be skewed, and she couldn't tell how long it had been. Eventually, however, some sensations became very clear, including the feel of gentle hands on her, lifting her up. The fight must be over, then.

She stiffened then. No. She didn't need to be carried. She wasn't a baby or anything - she was a shinigami captain, and shinigami captains didn't admit to any injury, but __ouch__ , she hurt all over, and breathing was hard. She sorta felt like she didn't like breathing because it was such a nuisance, but some nuisances were good nuisances, like Hinamori or Matsumoto.

"...rambling...you think...concussion?"

"...heart rate steady...showing...moderate shock..."

"...awake...Did...hear me, Hitsugaya-taicho? You...stay awake..."

The chatter of Fourth Division shinigami buzzed around her, and gradually she came to realize that she was lying on something cloth and stretchy. She couldn't move her right arm for some reason, and the limb felt stiff. The same was true of her torso, and her skull throbbed with blinding pain. She felt disoriented.

Head pounding, she tried to sit up, the colors of her surroundings blurring the shapes of her world, and the flashes of spinning light and color were kaleidoscopic. Hands pressed down on her shoulders, trying to get to her to lie back down, and the faces above her swam across her eyes. She felt the vaguest impressions of panic surface in her mind, but someone touched her ribcage and she fell back away from the hands, attempting to curl away from them. The hands clamped down on her, gently holding her in place, and she thrashed. Her chest screamed at her, the throbbing of her skull turning to a sledgehammer pulse on her brain.

"Cracked...is her skull..."

Suddenly she was lifted from the stretchy cloth thing she was lying on and moved to what seemed to be a firm cushiony thing. A flash of pale violet hair flickered above her, wide eyes gazing down at her, but then the world faded, and when it came back her sword arm was on fire. Something had sliced it apart, but the pounding of her skull was vicious. There was too much pressure on her brain.

"...Awake!...painkillers to Captain...surgically set the..."

"...keep...brainwaves...cracked skull..."

The noise and pain was too much for her to handle.

She passed out.

* * *

 **So, please vote on my poll! And please review and tell me what you think! Thank you!**


	26. Visitation

**A/N: Hey. Sorry I'm late. My cousin was graduating, so I was tied up with that for about a week, and then I discovered a short little anime called Munto that I've been a bit too obsessed with in the recent days. It's kinda cheesy and cliché but I liked it anyway.**

 **But anyhow. The opinion poll is still up. Please vote on it!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Matsumoto sighed deeply as she entered the white room. It was late evening now, and though Seireitei seemed calm, everyone was extremely on edge. Aizen had been broken out of prison the day before by a mysterious band of three who had singlehandedly defeated eight captains without dealing a single critical blow. A gaping hole had also been blown through the sekisekki wall enclosing and protecting Seireitei, meaning that the shinigami were now hard pressed to guard that gap lest unsavory Rukongai residents invade and start vandalizing.

Slowly, Matsumoto sank into the chair by the lonely bed in the room, her gaze fixed on the patient lying asleep in front of her. Seven of the eight captains had been healed relatively quickly, and were now in the recovery stages. But her captain had been dealt a blow to the head so fierce it had cracked her skull and given her a massive concussion, and her sword arm had been broken so badly that the bone had needed to be surgically set. Since she had been transported to the Fourth Division, she hadn't yet regained consciousness. Unohana was keeping her for observation - head trauma on the scale that Hitsugaya had suffered was worthy of caution even with Unohana's healing expertise.

Matsumoto gently kept watch over her young captain, carefully noting the even rise and fall of the young woman's now-healed chest. Her white head was wrapped tightly in a turban of thick bandages, as was her right arm, and both were protected with stiff casts. She'd be in the hospital for another few days, depending on when she woke up, but she was in no danger, and never had been. For that at least, Matsumoto was grateful.

The door creaked open, and Matsumoto turned in her chair, expecting to see Hinamori or Rukia standing in the doorway. Instead, she saw a young teenaged boy with wavy brown hair and kind hazel eyes. His pale face was pinched in worry, and he was dressed very formally in a dark green haori, cream kosode, and bark-brown hakama. A Zanpakutou with a watery green hilt hung at his side. Rangiku blinked at him.

"Hm? Who might you be?" she asked, puzzled by this boy's strange appearance. The boy looked at her, and Matsumoto had the faint sensation she'd seen this boy before even though she didn't recognize him.

"I'm...I'm Yuuma." he said. "You...you don't mind that I'm in here, do you?"

Rangiku shook her head.

"Of course not." she reassured him quickly. "I'm just confused - I've never seen you around Taicho before."

Yuuma flinched a bit.

"I saw him for the first time yesterday. I just wanted to make sure that he was okay." he said quietly. "I've already talked to all the other captains that fought the invaders, and I was hoping to do the same with him. I wanted to thank him for protecting my family."

Rangiku's blue eyes flew wide, barely noticing that the young teenager had called her captain 'him'.

"You're one of the royals, aren't you?" she asked. Yuuma nodded warily, then shook his head frantically as Matsumoto promptly slid out of her chair and crumpled into a kowtow.

"Don't!" he cried, pulling the lieutenant to her feet. "Don't. I'm...I'm not really fond of all that."

Matsumoto's expression softened at the sight of the distress on the young prince's face, and she stood.

"Okay then." she said with a smile. "I won't bow. But if anyone asks, then I was the perfect respectful subordinate, okay?"

Yuuma smiled faintly, laughing a bit, and agreed. He relaxed noticeably, then crept closer to the young woman lying asleep in the bed. He bit his lower lip, reaching out to gently run a finger over the hard cast on Hitsugaya's arm. Matsumoto watched in somewhat-touched awe as the young teen expression shifted from worried to grateful to wistful all in the same beat.

"Will he be alright?" Yuuma asked finally. Rangiku's blonde hair danced as she nodded.

"Oh, Taicho will be just fine." she assured the boy with a bright grin. Then her expression became confused. "Why are you calling Taicho 'him'?"

Yuuma stared at her in surprise.

"He said that the only reason he was a girl was because of an accident." Yuuma replied, eyes turning curious. Matsumoto's mouth dropped into a small 'o' of realization.

"Aw, Taicho's being shy again." she pouted. "My Taicho is gender-questioning. Right now she's officially gender-neutral, but because she looks like a girl and is fiddling around with being a girl she doesn't mind when people call her 'she', though she's also fine with people calling her 'they,' if that is what they end up doing."

Yuuma blinked, baffled.

"What does 'gender-questioning' mean?" he asked in puzzlement. "And what's 'gender-neutral' mean?"

Matsumoto smiled.

"Someone who is gender-questioning isn't sure what gender they feel most comfortable being." she explained gently. "They may be born male but feel better living as a girl, or vice versa. Or they could feel best living as a gender-neutral individual, which is someone who doesn't identify as either male or female and sometimes has traits of both genders."

Yuuma blinked in surprise.

"That...sounds complex." he said. Matsumoto shrugged, a wry grin on her face.

"I know, but if wearing dresses and makeup every now and then makes my Taicho happy, then I won't say anything." she said with a smile. "It makes me happy to see her being herself."

Both Rangiku and Yuuma returned their attention to the sleeping captain, and slowly Yuuma let out a long breath and backed away. He crossed the room and opened the door, then paused and gripped the doorframe tightly.

"Fukutaicho-san? Will you give Hitsugaya-taicho-san my thanks?" the brunette boy's posture was perfect, but something in him was slumped with fatigue and sadness. Matsumoto's blue gaze softened.

"Of course." she agreed. "But I'm sure Taicho wouldn't mind if you visited again. She'd probably be touched that you took the time to see how she was doing."

Yuuma shifted uneasily, then shook his head quickly.

"I barely managed to get away this time." he said with a bitter sigh. "I don't think there will be an 'again' unless my mother agrees."

Rangiku's face fell, but though she could understand the boy's unhappiness, she also knew that his safety was vital.

"Well, if you're ever allowed to wander around, feel free to stop by the Tenth Division!" she said with a smile. "Now shoo! You don't want Her Majesty to be upset with you."

Yuuma cracked a smile at Matsumoto's teasing tone.

"Thank you, Fukutaicho-san."

* * *

Light. Bright light. Bright, painful light. Light like the brilliant beam of Ichigo's sunny hair merged with Yachiru's megawatt smile and a sprinkling of Hirako's mildly sinister leer.

Her eyes protested in shrieking resistance.

She blinked. A streak of blinding white shot across her retinas, scoring bands of fading colors on the underside of her eyelids. She groaned, the stabbing pain in her skull antagonized cruelly by the light. A sizzling rush of air came from somewhere beyond the blazing light, blistering her eardrums with crackling sound. She whimpered involuntarily, the relentless pounding of the light and sound on the soft, delicate tissue of her brain painful beyond reason. Her skin sparked with fire, something electrically brushing over the back of her limp hand, and she twitched, whimpering again.

Suddenly a soft voice, bearable as a dull throb in her head, whispered into the hissing agony.

"Hey...hey, shh. Shhh...it's alright."

The voice was distinctly female and tinged with familiar sweetness. She blinked again, a dark blur passing briefly across her line of sight, but the light stabbed needles of flame into her occipital lobe and every single one of her neurons was screaming at her. Suddenly there was a blessedly cool touch on her forehead, and the light dimmed to a dark twilight, the lancing needles carefully extracted from the squishy tissue inside her skull. Her head throbbed still, but now the pain was duller, less blinding and all-consuming.

Her vision cleared enough to see the dark outline of a familiar face hovering over her, a pair of familiar dark eyes gazing down at her.

"Hey, Shiro-chan." Hinamori whispered as quietly as she could. "All better?"

Hitsugaya slowly shook her head, lying limp on her pillow.

"Better." she croaked out, then winced as the sound of her own voice gouged deep marks in her skull. She softened her voice. "But...still hurts..."

Gently, Momo guided her sister's left hand to the crown of her head and allowed her to touch the thick bandages wrapped tightly around her head. Toushiro prodded them gingerly, starting to gain a hazy understanding of why her head hurt so much.

"You broke your skull." the kind lieutenant said, her voice still a soft murmur to spare Hitsugaya's sensitive ears. "You've been asleep for a few days. The pain is left over from when Unohana healed the brain damage you'd suffered."

Toushiro blinked fuzzily, only hearing a few select words from the group. Her head felt hollow, her mind unable to process anything beyond the minimum.

"Brain...damage?" she asked weakly, her lips chapped. "...how...?"

Then Momo's hand was on her face, a sisterly kiss pressed to her forehead, and the dark-haired girl smiled in the gloom of the darkened hospital room.

"Easy." she commanded, her tone gentle yet firm. "You're going to be disoriented for a little bit. Do you need anything?"

Hitsugaya tried to process the statement, but was quickly growing sleepy again. She felt very heavy, and her head still hurt terribly. Hinamori sighed.

"Focus, Shiro-chan." she scolded gently. "Do you need anything?"

Hitsugaya thought for a long while, trying to grasp the idea behind the question, then swallowed dryly and whispered.

"...thirsty." she decided. Momo nodded approvingly at her, standing silently. The girl crossed the room on tiptoe to a sink, then took a cup from the counter and turned the tap on just enough to let a thin stream of water trickle near-silently into the cup. It took a few moments for the cup to fill up, but when it did Hinamori carefully put a lid on the plastic rim and slid a straw through the hole in the top. Then she carried the drink back over to her sister, still on tiptoe, and guided the straw between the injured captain's lips.

Toushiro sucked the water down greedily, the dryness of her throat relieved by the cool liquid, and after she finished the cup, she blinked fuzzily up at her sibling, the effort of thinking painful. But she was supposed to say something. Wasn't she? She searched her aching brain, trying to remember, then came upon the phrase with startling clarity.

"...thanks..." she murmured, then blinked away confusion. What was she thanking Momo for...?

Hinamori kissed her forehead again.

"Rest, Shiro-chan." she murmured quietly. "You need to finish healing, okay?"

Sleep sounded nice, Toushiro thought blearily. Being awake was tiring, and her limbs felt leaden. Maybe sleep would help.

Hitsugaya was so tired and befuddled that she didn't even notice when she fell back asleep, but Hinamori did, and the brunette girl sighed fondly. She remained in place by her sibling's bedside, gently stroking one cool golden cheek. Toushiro unconsciously nuzzled into her sister's hand, murmuring incomprehensible babble in a soft whisper. Momo smiled with bittersweet memory. She could still remember those dark nights back in Rukongai when she would wake up to find that Toushiro had crept into her futon, trembling slightly from the aftereffect of a nightmare. She would curl around her small then-brother, stroking his wild white hair gently until she was sure that he'd settled back into sleep.

The warm nostalgia that crept over Momo's pale skin was comforting, and her eyes sparkled quietly. It touched her that Toushiro still clung to her enough to retain that instinct to search for comfort in physical contact with her. There were very few other people who Toushiro would willingly allow to touch her - fewer still who she would reach out to. Then her dark brown eyes turned black with anger. Their grandmother had used to be one of those rare few whom Hitsugaya would seek out for comfort. But now the old woman had lost that privilege until Momo said otherwise.

A bitter smile crossed the young kido-master's face. She'd gone to visit the old woman shortly after Toushiro's brief breakdown. The memory was a sour one.

()()()()()

 _ _Her lips were set in a thin line, her deep brown eyes narrowed. She could sense the faint flicker of the soul inside the tiny, worn home in front of her and its familiarity both calmed and infuriated her. But she took a deep breath nonetheless, hoping that the sternness of her expression and the fiery anger that burned in her heart would be enough to sway her dear Obaa-san. So with a firm hand, Momo reached out and rapped thrice on the door, a curt, brusque tapping very unlike her usual energetic thumps on the worn wood.__

 _ _After a minute or so of waiting, the door slid open to reveal the wrinkled old woman that Hinamori and Hitsugaya had spent a peaceful, too-short childhood with. Her grandmother's lips curled into a smile of delight.__

 _"_ _ _Oh, Momo-chan!" she said in surprise, taking in her granddaughter's appearance. Momo was dressed in her shihakusho, her lieutenant's armband fitted securely around her bicep. The girl only very rarely wore her shihakusho to visit her grandmother, and had never come with her armband before. The old woman's eyes suddenly filled with concern. "Are you on a mission, dear?"__

 _ _Momo couldn't stop the smile that touched her lips, but she could leech the sincerity from it, and that's what she did. The old woman blinked at her in confusion, startled by the girl's obvious resentment.__

 _"_ _ _You could say that." she said, her tone rising indignantly at the end no matter how much she tried to keep herself under control. She paused, tried to soothe the anger in her heart back into simmering calmness. "...May I come in?"__

 _ _The old woman nodded instantly, looking anxious for her grandchild's sake, and took a step back from the door.__

 _"_ _ _Of course, dear." she said. "Would you like a cup of tea?"__

 _ _Hinamori smiled unwillingly again, but she hardened the glare of her brown gaze and burned an imaginary hole into the wooden floor as she stared furiously at it, carefully working off her waraji.__

 _"_ _ _No thank you. I can only stay a moment." she said coolly, taking a seat at the low wooden table. Her Obaa-san carefully sat down across from her, worry in her eyes, and let out a soft sigh.__

 _"_ _ _What's the matter, dear?" she asked gently, and Momo snapped.__

 _"_ _ _Toushiro." she barked out, her no-nonsense-lieutenant persona emerging in a burst of sweet fire. "You kicked her out."__

 _ _The old woman's expression closed suddenly, a few tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She took a deep, shuddering breath.__

 _"_ _ _I did not want to do that." she whispered quietly. "But I was acting in his best interest. Toushiro is confused and his attentions are misdirected. I have known that he has disliked himself due to the actions of bullies when he was a tiny child. Now he believes that switching his gender and lifestyle will allieviate that pain, and I cannot allow him to do something so unnatural in a simple attempt to rid himself of the insecurity he has felt since he was young."__

 _ _Momo blinked, not expecting the heartfelt response, then shook her head.__

 _"_ _ _That's not why Toushiro is gender-questioning, Obaa-san." she said in disbelief. "She's not doing this to escape - she's chosen this because she feels more at home in a woman's body. She's happier as a girl. It's not to escape past bullies. It's so she can be herself."__

 _ _The old woman's shoulders slumped, and she sighed.__

 _"_ _ _The the situation is worse than I thought." Momo's grandmother murmured sadly, her eyes still laced with genuine tears. Her obvious grief stilled Momo's fury at the statement, and the phrase that Momo had intended to yell instead came out in a helpless whimper.__

 _"_ _ _If it makes her happy, why does it matter?" Hinamori protested.__

 _"_ _ _Toushiro was born male for a reason, Momo." her Obaa-san coached, her tone so soft and close to breaking that Momo could scarcely muster up the broken scraps of the anger she'd felt earlier. "I cannot speak for you, but I've always believed that fate exists. It was Toushiro's fate to be a boy, and in changing that he's destroying whatever plan was set up for his future."__

 _ _Momo's jaw dropped.__

 _"_ _ _You can't possibly be serious!" she exclaimed. "If fate exists, then wouldn't this transition that Shiro-chan is going through also be fated to happen? Wouldn't her story stay the same?"__

 _ _The old woman sighed deeply and shook her head.__

 _"_ _ _Toushiro is not a 'she,' Momo-chan." she scolded quietly, and Hinamori broke, tears starting to spill down her face.__

 _"_ _ _Yes she is!" the lieutenant spat, dreadfully upset. "Toushiro-chan is my sister, and I'm goddamn proud of that! Why can't you be the same? Even if there is some sort of universal retribution, can't you respect Toushiro's choices enough to let her do what she wants?!"__

 _ _The old woman sat silent for a long moment, then bowed her head.__

 _"_ _ _I respect his choice, yes." the old woman said softly. "But as his grandmother, it is up to me to punish him for making bad decisions and guide him in the right direction. If he persists in this course then I must do the only thing I can to attempt to guide him from afar. So I had to turn him away. He can come back when he realizes his mistake, and I will welcome him home gladly, but I cannot ignore this."__

 _ _Momo shook her head, lower lip trembling visibly. She stood.__

 _"_ _ _When__ ** **you**** _ _realize your mistake, send me a letter." she declared, her voice trembling. The old woman looked up in shock.__

 _"_ _ _Momo-chan..."__

 _ _Hinamori gathered her composure, then hardened her glare.__

 _"_ _ _Until you can accept that you have two granddaughters...you don't have any." Momo said, tears in her dark brown eyes. He grandmother stared up at her in disbelief. Then Momo walked over to her waraji and put them back on her feet, standing on her grandmother's porch for just a moment. Then, just as the old woman was about to speak, Hinamori cut her off, her voice strong.__

 _"_ _ _I turned my back on my sister once, when she was still a boy." Momo said, her tone unyielding. "And then I had to watch her suffer because I was too weak to stay by her side. I won't make that same mistake again. Toushiro deserves infinitely better than that."__

 _ _She turned back to stare hard at the stricken old woman behind her.__

 _"_ _ _We'll come back when you recognize your mistakes." Hinamori said evenly. "And we will return gladly. But I cannot ignore this cruelty."__

 _ _She stepped outside the door.__

 _"_ _ _Goodbye, Obaa-san."__

 _ _And then she vanished in a flicker of black, leaving a empty void of wintry air in her place.__

* * *

 **Review! And please continue to vote on my poll!**


	27. Bloody Mary

**A/N: I felt guilty for the wait last time. So I sent a PM to a reviewer, & they picked the lucky number for an extra-early update! **

**Enjoy!**

 **And please vote on my poll! I'm going to close it pretty soon!**

* * *

The splint itched, but at least she was up and walking around now.

Scowling her characteristic scowl, Hitsugaya tried to concentrate on the scurrying, frenetic movements of her subordinates as they hurried around. It had been seven days since Aizen's escape. Five days since she'd woken up in the Fourth Division with a killer headache and a splinted right arm. Three days since she'd been released from the Fourth. And today was the day that preparations for war would finally be complete. Her Fourth Seat ran up to her, panting, clearly tuckered out by the frantic pace of preparation.

"Hitsugaya-taicho! All squads have reported the results of individual evaluation! Percentage of offensive-oriented squadrons is 65%. Percentage of defensive-oriented squadrons is 35% percent. All squads except for Thirteenth Seat Yoshida's and Fifteenth Seat Yukimura's are reporting full manpower - Yoshida has three with the flu and Yukimura has two with the flu and another two with a stomach bug." the Fourth Seat rattled off quickly. Hitsugaya absorbed this quietly, emerald eyes narrowed, absently massaging her aching abdomen with the heel of a hand. That had started up this morning, and it wasn't going away - hopefully she wasn't also getting that stomach bug.

"Where are Yoshida and Yukimura stationed?" she asked crisply, her mental map unfolding in her mind. The Fourth Seat opened his mouth to answer, but Hitsugaya had already located their positions in her visual memory.

"Yoshida has taken patrols in Districts 41-43 of North Rukongai, and Yukimura is stationed in Districts 15-18..." Hitsugaya's voice trailed off, thinking. She rearranged some people in her mind's eye and considered, then discarded the plan and came up with another. She mulled that one over for a few minutes, then nodded firmly.

"Pull Eighth Seat Fujiwara's squad out of Districts 19-22 and switch him with Yoshida." She decided. "Merge the patrol patterns for Yukimura and Yoshida's shared range and give them joint authority over districts 15-22. You'll be running backup support from Districts 26-29 if they request additional support."

Her Fourth Seat bowed, carefully noting down his captain's orders on a small notepad that he slipped back into his shihakusho as soon as Hitsugaya finished speaking. She glanced down at him, noticing the notepad with a flash of amusement.

"And turn the notepad in immediately after you've executed that order." she said lightly. "I don't want you losing that and Aizen somehow finding out that Districts 15-22 are short-staffed for the moment."

The Fourth Seat bowed deeply.

"Yes, Hitsugaya-taicho!" he affirmed. Then his expression turned worried. "Er, Hitsugaya-taicho..."

Toushiro raised an eyebrow and dipped her chin, anger sparking inside her at the apparent hesitancy, but then she calmed herself, knowing that the irate reaction was based off her hormones. The Fourth Seat appeared not to notice.

"...do you really think Aizen will attack again?" the man asked, eyes wide. Hitsugaya felt her heart catch awkwardly, guilt striking hard at her aching gut, but she kept her face neutral. "I mean...you nearly died last time...and I don't think the Tenth could take that again..."

Toushiro felt her lips curdle into a cold smile at the reminder of her failure.

"We will be prepared." she snapped harshly, anger uncharacteristically taking hold of her. "Aizen did not best us then - he will not best us now. The Royal Guard is in Seireitei - attacking this place would be fatal for him."

 _"_ _ _After all, taking Seireitei by surprise is my job, isn't it?"__ she thought cynically, but her words did the trick. Her subordinate relaxed, bowed, and allowed Toushiro to dismiss him with a curt nod. Hyourinmaru rumbled soothingly in the back of her snow-white head as she watched her subordinates finish preparing the division for battle-ready status, his reassuring presence running like a current through her limbs. The Deep-magic in her soul stirred in a brush of wintry rain and sleet, and she sighed, relaxing into the cold winter air. Yamamoto had given an executive order that all divisions were supposed to be on standby until Aizen either attacked or was recaptured. She already had men from the Tenth Division join the investigation team headed by Kurotsuchi and Soifon - just in case the Tenth's prerogative for internal investigation was needed. The case file was currently under lock and key in her office.

Toushiro sighed, then turned towards the assembled reiatsu of the rookie shinigami in her division. Matsumoto's power flickered steadily with them, clearly leading them. She was due to meet them today and evaluate their individual progress. And then she'd introduce them to the real Tenth Division.

A smirk curled Toushiro's pert lips. She had a real treat lined up for her rookies this year. Usually, to both intimidate and awe her newbies, she'd consent to either a ceremonial release of her shikai, or a blade-and-kido-only spar with Matsumoto. But this year, Ichigo had consented to spar with her in Matsumoto's place. He was bringing his sisters and father to Seireitei to both sightsee and meet with the rest of the Shiba family, and was going to stop by the Tenth on the way back from discussing __something__ with Yamamoto. He'd kept the topic of his discussion a secret no matter how hard she'd tried to pry it out of him.

Of course, Toushiro was still going to let them choose between the release and the spar. If they wanted to see her Shikai, then she'd let them. If they wanted to see her beat her boyfriend's ass, then she'd let them. It was all up to them. Then she glanced down at the splint on her sword arm. The bone had been surgically set, she remembered with a scowl, vaguely recalling the fiery pain and blurred whiteness. She'd apparently woken up in the middle of surgery, but that was all she could remember. Unohana had put her on some pretty strong drugs after that.

But anyhow...it meant that she'd be fighting left-handed.

It wasn't as if that was a bad thing - she had trained herself to be ambidextrous a long time ago, and often practiced Zanjutsu with her left hand. But she was used to powering the blow with her right hand and leading the blade with her left. With her hands switched, her strikes and blocks would be a shade weaker. With any of her normal opponents, it wouldn't matter in the slightest - but with an above-captain-class shinigami like Ichigo, it could be problematic. Especially since Ichigo could now control his reiatsu. (Somehow, after Mugetsu had drained him and his reiatsu had come seeping back, he'd mysteriously gained the ability to control his own powers.)

But she'd beat his ass into the ground anyway.

With that sadistic smirk on her lips, she leapt from the rooftop where she was precariously perched and bounced off the roofing tiles to another nearby roof, this one peaked at a slightly steeper angle. Her abdomen let off another twinge of protest, but she steadfastly ignored it. She continued bouncing from roof to roof, her senses open and reaching gently, until she arrived just outside the large training field where Matsumoto was conducting exercises with the newbies. Her expression cold but tinged with lingering sadism, she hid herself in the shadow of a nearby building, watching intently as the new crop of rookies trained under Matsumoto's careful supervision. A few other seated officers were helping with the exercises, well aware that their icy captain would show up at some point. She never really specified when.

Her haori billowed sleekly about her curvy frame as she shifted minutely, her posture only becoming more perfect. The flashing silver of the newbies' Asauchi glinted in the cold winter sunlight. Toushiro frowned disapprovingly, watching with fiery exasperation as two of the male recruits got into an argument which led to the hold-up of an entire row as they toppled into each other.

"Halt!" Matsumoto snapped out sharply, stepping forward, her blonde hair bounding prettily. She grabbed each of the rookie shinigami by the collars of their kosode and yanked them back to their feet. "Disgraceful, both of you. Report to the mess hall for cleaning duty at 5:30 tomorrow morning."

Abashed, the two men glared at each other then bowed obediently. Hitsugaya's scowl lessened into an approving neutrality at the sight of her lieutenant's instinctive ability to command. Rangiku had always had a way with the rookies - they just seemed to __understand__ her.

A blink of bright silver-blue eyes in her direction let the young captain know that her second had recognized her presence, and Hitsugaya inclined her head incrementally, wishing to observe for a little while longer. Matsumoto took the motion in stride, her expression never wavering, and without a word the rookies continued their exercises. This went on for several long, uninterrupted minutes, until nearly an hour had slipped by. Then Matsumoto called a pause.

"Pair up!" she called out, and there was a flurry of activity as the recruits scrambled to find partners. Suddenly, Toushiro had a spontaneous, devious idea. A nasty grin crept across her face, and she moved.

Matsumoto watched as everyone managed to pair up successfully, brow furrowed in confusion when there wasn't a group of three anywhere. One of the recruits was sick, so there should be...Her gaze widened incrementally. Towards the back of the group was a young woman with shaggy, pale-dirt colored hair and a long Zanpakutou bound to her back with a pale blue sash over her shoulder, a supportive splint on her right arm. The emerald gleam of the devilish eyes was highly amused. Matsumoto swallowed the laugh building up in the back of her throat and nodded peaceably, pretending to notice that nothing was wrong. This would be hilarious.

"Alright, you lot!" she said cheerfully. "Sparring time - tournament style! Anything goes except blows which could seriously injure. The officers and I will determine winners. And...GO!"

Hitsugaya could feel Rangiku's laughter bubbling up inside the bright woman. Ducking effortlessly underneath the slow swings of her current partner, she carefully parried the blows, making sure to exaggerate and slow her movements until it looked painfully obvious, that, while above the Shinou Academy's usual standard, she wasn't even worthy of being a seated officer. The slight, dragging ache in her abdomen helped to keep her act realistic, she noticed in surprise. With a simple downward sweep, she trapped the rookie's blade beneath her disguised Hyourinmaru (she'd sealed over his distinctive handguard with a perfect square of ice). Then she raised a hand, muttering a quick incantation and casting a barely-powered Bakudo 1, Sai on the hapless shinigami. He protested, but it was clear that she had won.

They moved through the different rounds of sparring relatively quickly, and once she began sparring with the stronger of the rookies, she was pleasantly surprised. Some of them were decent fighters for the Shinou Academy's usual standard, and all were relatively well-rounded, save one girl who clearly was awkward holding a sword but flawless in her Kido.

But then she was facing off against the last of the rookies, a young man with a head of tidy black curls of hair and strong shoulder blades. His dark eyes were narrowed in concentration, a calculating look in his gaze. He took a careful half-step towards the young woman before him.

"Bakudo 4! Hainawa!" he cried out suddenly, and Hitsugaya startled at the lack of an incantation. __Eishohaki?! From a rookie?!__

The brief moment of surprise was enough for the Kido rope to crawl around her left wrist, and the dark-skinned young man jerked the rope, yanking Hitsugaya towards him. His blade came rushing at her, and without time to parry Toushiro let her body fold backwards, the steel sliding harmlessly through the air above her, then leaned back, placed her free hand on the ground rushing by her head, and kicked up.

The young man yelled in shock and pain as her foot hit his wrist and dislodged the Kido rope from his fingertips. Then Toushiro backflipped away, Hyourinmaru still held securely in her left hand, and shattered the kido holding her wrist with a surge of chilled power. Her green eyes narrowed as the young man's blade swept at her again, and she leaned out of the way, gut aching still. The strength behind his blows was formidable, and she could tell that he had a decent amount of control over the path of his Zanpakutou. She hadn't seen skill like this in a while...

Maybe she'd take it up a notch.

She sprang lightly, her Zanpakutou meeting the other blade in clash of cold sparks, and twirled like a ballerina, her lithe frame moving sinuously. Green lightning flashed in her gaze, and the young man rose effortlessly to the challenge. The silver of their blades flashed in the cold winter sun, meeting and spinning apart again in rapid spurts of violence. Hitsugaya could gradually sense the strain on her opponent increasing as she carefully began to increase her strength. He was holding up remarkably well, she noted approvingly as she slammed Hyourinmaru's keen edge into the taller man's Asauchi blade, forcing him on the defensive with only a little effort. He leapt back, muttering rapidly under his breath. Hitsugaya let her knees bend, waiting.

"Bakudo 9! Geki!"

Toushiro stiffened as she felt the familiar paralyzing flash of red prickle over her skin, and she Shunpoed to the side, dodging the blast of kido, and let her reiatsu spill to her palms. She'd seen enough.

"Bakudo 63. Sajo Sabaku." she breathed, yellow flickering from her fingertips and instantly entangling the rookie shinigami in thick yellow chains of Kido. The newbies watching gasped in shock, as did the now-defeated man. Hitsugaya very carefully sheathed Hyourinmaru - she hadn't worn an over-the-shoulder sash in a while - then folded her arms into her sleeves and turned an emerald stare directly onto Matsumoto, who looked thoughtful.

"Daisuke-kun, you okay?" Rangiku asked, glancing at the Kido-bound man. The curly-headed young adult nodded tiredly, not even bothering to struggle against the kido chains entangling him.

"Yes, Fukutaicho-san." he said, wincing a bit. "...My arms are sore, though."

Matsumoto laughed, a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"Well, I expected that." she said with a grin. Then she turned to her disguised captain, her lips curled down in a pout. "You can be brutal, you know."

Hitsugaya rolled her eyes, untying the blue sash from Hyourinmaru's sheath and pulling a folded piece of white cloth from her shihakusho.

"Damn straight." she snapped, her voice cool and crisp. She snapped her wrist effortlessly, the piece of white cloth unfolding neatly to reveal the sleeveless white of her haori. The dirt she'd frozen into her hair shattered, leaving the ruffled mane pure white, and she put her haori back on, tying the pale blue obi around her waist and sliding Hyourinmaru - now sporting his usual handguard - through the tied bow at the small of her back.

The rookies stared in shock as their captain materialized before them.

"So cold today, Taicho!" Matsumoto chirped brightly, though her expression was mildly puzzled by the change in demeanor, and Hitsugaya's eyes sharpened like chips of cold ice. Her lips curled into a scowl.

"Oi, I'm __always__ cold." she sassed, deadpan, and Matsumoto grinned.

"You trapped Daisuke-kun in a level-sixties kido, Taicho!" she whined, watching the vein pop in Hitsugaya's temple. "That was a bit excessive, I think."

Hitsugaya shrugged coolly.

"No it wasn't. If this lot can't handle a level-sixties kido cast Eishohaki, then I dread to see what's going to happen when they face a real Hollow." She bit out, her voice tight. She needed to be intimidating when it came to newbies, and while being generally terrifying was one of the perks of having Bankai and a haori, she needed to be frightening on her own merit. Then, after she had the rookies terrified of her, then she would be the perceptive, clever, secretly-softhearted captain that her seasoned subordinates knew. But the rite of passage was driven by her aura of coldness, and so cold and cruel she must be.

It seemed to work. All of the new shinigami flinched. Hitsugaya let out a sharp sigh and released the kido binding Daisuke, who stood up shakily. Matsumoto sighed and stepped forward. She could tell that her young taicho was shifting swiftly into 'Ice-cube Mode' and she knew better than to interfere.

"Should I go, Taicho?" she asked. Hitsugaya shook her head.

"No, stick around." she said lightly, the dark green of her wicked stare sending a shiver down her lieutenant's spine. "...You might benefit from the discipline."

Matsumoto squeaked. And there it was, the trigger line. Time for the act to start. She and her captain did this every year with the rookies, to establish her captain's authority and to reinforce Matsumoto's connection with the recruits. It worked incredibly well, and the best part of it was that it meant Toushiro would let her have the rest of the day off afterwards.

"Well, uhh...that sounds, um, fun but...I...I, uhhh...I gotta do paperwork!" she exclaimed, sprinting away. Hitsugaya twitched in perfect timing as the busty woman ran toward the exit, and growled under her breath.

"Matsumoto." she snapped coldly. The woman froze, laughing nervously.

"Uh...yes, Taicho?"

"Get back here."

Slowly, Matsumoto dragged herself back over to her captain, looking distinctly unhappy. Hitsugaya raised a white eyebrow, her lips pursing in distaste.

"As I said." Hitsugaya's tone was clipped. "You might benefit from the discipline."

Matsumoto let her shoulders slump.

"Yes, Captain." she said dismally, moving to stand beside the ice-wielder with a sad pout. The rookies watched, cowed by the cold young woman's icy demeanor. And then she turned a frighteningly frosty green glare on them.

"I will be assessing your progress today." she informed them apathetically. "I expect you all to at least be competent. After all, you've spent eight months under my lieutenant. If your skills are below par, I suggest you apologize to Matsumoto for failing her. Her salary this month rests on your performance."

Matsumoto called out the brief spell of humiliated anger on command, so familiar was that line to her. She cast her gaze at the ground, cheeks burning, jaw tightening. Perfect. The flickers of upset, fierce reiatsu began to swell among the rookies. Hitsugaya stepped forward, her presence imposing, her features cold despite the warm golden color of her skin.

"First Sequence - Morning Blossom." she commanded coldly. Instantly, the assembled shinigami swept through the familiar sequence of practice kata, their Asauchi flashing in unison. A few forms were messy, and two were a bit sluggish, but for the most part they were passable. So Hitsugaya narrowed her eyes and continued.

Her observation of the practice kata went on for almost an hour and a half before she switched into kido drills. There were a few explosions, but everyone could perform the first ten Hado and Bakudo with incantation, so she was satisfied. Then came the dreaded final test - physical fitness. Hitsugaya watched, affecting a bored look despite her abdominal rebellion as the newbies in her division sweated and gasped. She was pushing the envelope, she knew, but she needed them to hate her and like Matsumoto. Because then, when her full reiatsu finally hit them, they'd be terrified.

Finally, she called a halt. The rookies dropped like flies, panting and wheezing, but they'd hung on. She was mildly impressed that they'd all done so well, including the man she'd sparred with earlier, but she kept the pleasure off her face and turned to Matsumoto.

"Passable." she said coolly. "Nice to know you weren't slacking all of the time."

The swell of indignation from the exhausted rookies was palpable, and Hitsugaya felt a smirk cross her face as Matsumoto cast a sullen glance at the ground, in perfect keeping with her character. The young captain sighed.

"As reward, I will give you a choice." she said calmly, now addressing the rookie shinigami. "You may either choose to see my Shikai release, or you will be permitted to watch me spar. Confer among yourselves, then elect one person to tell me your decision. You have ten minutes."

The newbies suddenly looked excited, and slowly dragged themselves together to whisper eagerly. Matsumoto came up behind her captain and gently wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's neck, her bosom pressing against the white head. Hitsugaya closed her eyes.

"Yes, Matsumoto?" she asked, her voice low and controlled.

"Are you sparring with me again this year?" she asked, genuinely curious. The captain hummed vaguely.

"It depends." she murmured, again massaging her gut with the heel of a hand. Then one of the rookies gingerly stepped closer to her, something close to wariness shining in the recruit's brown eyes.

"Hitsugaya-taicho...if you please, would you spar for us?" she asked politely, her tone trembling. "We would like to see a captain's skill in action."

Toushiro nodded curtly, her expression still cool, then shook Matsumoto off her shoulders and turned to face the blonde woman. A familiar set of reiatsus were heading towards the Tenth and she needed to get there before something (Zaraki, most likely) interfered.

"Take them to the Tenth's sparring arena." she said calmly. "I will meet you there."

Matsumoto bowed.

"Yes Captain!" she said cheerfully, then turned back to the assembled rookies, shouting orders as Hitsugaya vanished in a flicker of icy power.

* * *

By the time the rookies were fully seated in the seats around the sekkiseki-shielded arena, Hitsugaya had arrived at the arena, guests in tow. Matsumoto suddenly squealed with joy, leaping down to flatten Ichigo beneath her in a massive hug. She knew exactly why the Winter War hero was here.

"YAY!" she cheered. "I don't have to be humiliated by Taicho again!"

Ichigo made vague choking noises, his arms flailing about wildly. Matsumoto's hugs were suffocating even when her breasts weren't the primary cause of asphyxiation. Toushiro snapped into action, tugging on her lieutenant's arm in an effort to pry the woman off.

"Oi, Matsumoto! Get off of him!" she snapped. Matsumoto giggled, releasing the almost-man before her with an easy slip of her hands.

"Oops." she laughed. Then she looked at the other three that Hitsugaya had brought with her, and her expression paled.

"Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan...and..." she was speechless for one of the few times in her life. Hitsugaya sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And this is why Ichigo will spar with me." she said, raising a white eyebrow. "So you can beat up Shiba-taicho later."

Isshin sweatdropped as Rangiku cracked her knuckles, but Karin and Ichigo laughed in schadenfreude, and the twin Kurosakis grabbed their father and leapt up out of the arena to the seats.

"Come on, Matsumoto-san!" Karin called, a grin on her face, her shihakusho fluttering around her legs. A substitute shinigami badge hung from her obi, similarly to Yuzu. "I wanna watch Toushiro kick the crap outta my brother, and I can't do that if you're in the way!"

Matsumoto grinned up at the tomboy, then turned to the rookies with a excited smile.

"Well, looks like you lot get to see something pretty cool today!" she called to them. "It seems that Hitsugaya-taicho will be sparring with Kurosaki Ichigo."

The rookies murmured to themselves at the sound of the famous name, craning their heads to get a better look at the orange-haired hybrid. Ichigo glared half-heartedly at his girlfriend, shooting her a pouty face. He hadn't realized how the unseated shinigami would react to seeing or meeting him, and the fawning was more annoying than he thought it would be.

Matsumoto turned to the pair, who had retreated to stand at a distance about 4 meters apart and nodded to them.

"Alright, some rules." she said. "As per Taicho's usual preference, all levels of Kido, Shunpo, Hakuda, and Zanjutsu will be permitted. However, because we don't want the nuggets up there getting too excited, Shikai and Bankai are off-limits."

Ichigo frowned at Toushiro, raising an eyebrow from where he stood a fair distance away.

"And why is that?" he asked, puzzled. Hitsugaya rolled her eyes.

"I always give the rookies a choice the first time they meet me." she said coolly, her voice crisp and flat. "They get to see my Shikai ceremonially, or they get to see me spar. A captain's Shikai release in battle is powerful - I don't want any of the rookie recruits to be flattened by my reiatsu. At least I can restrict a ceremonial release's output."

Ichigo blinked in slow confusion, baffled by Toushiro's chilly demeanor.

"Shira, you okay?" he asked after a moment. "You're acting a touch testy."

Hitsugaya frowned, retroactively realizing that she'd been a bit cold just then to her boyfriend. Her eyes narrowed in thought, puzzled.

"...I'm fine..." she sighed, shaking her head. Then she readied her blade with a sudden smirking grin. "You ready, Strawberry?"

"My name doesn't mean __strawberry,__ dammit!"

Matsumoto gazed at her captain in confusion, also noticing the odd behavior, then smiled fondly and leapt out of the way. She had faith that Ichigo would fix her captain's funky mood.

"And...begin!" she bubbled, leaping back up to the bleachers where her rookies perched warily, the sekkiseki barrier thinning the force of the reiatsu spilling from the two combatants. Toushiro slid Hyourinmaru into a forward position, moving one foot back to brace herself as Ichigo disappeared, then swung Hyourinmaru around to block Zangetsu as the Hollow-Zanpakutou swung towards her throat. The two blades met in a clash of sparks, and a vein tightened in Toushiro's corded neck as she strained to keep Hyourinmaru's blade from wavering. Ichigo was stronger than her, especially when her grip was switched, but she had the advantage of speed.

And she'd use that.

Silver glinted as the pair fought viciously with their Zanpakutou, a filigree web of flashing steel swirling fluidly about their bodies. Ichigo's steps were surefooted and strong, his fiery-orange hair gusting wildly in the flickers of his Hollow-rimmed power, the blended reiatsu spiraling from the pits of his darkening eyes. Zangetsu whistled through the air, shearing thin strands of hair from his girlfriend's snowy head when it came too close, the keen edge howling power. In contrast, Toushiro was a wintry blur, a quicksilver flicker of vague white, an agile puff of frost and rime ghosting through the cracks in a roof. Her blade was pale winter lightning, the fury of a blizzard built up in its sealed length, and it tore at the darker power's clothes.

Their swords clashed again, a ringing peal echoing through the courtyard, and Ichigo increased the pressure on Zangetsu's gleaming edge. Toushiro took a step, arms and gut aching, and twisted to the side. The sharp __skreee__ of metallic friction split the reiatsu-saturated air, and Zangetsu's blade went sliding harmlessly past Toushiro's body as Ichigo lost his balance and fell forward. Hitsugaya lashed out with a small foot, planting the sole of her waraji in Ichigo's side, and sent him flying. The orange-haired shinigami grunted, slamming into the far wall, and got painfully back to his feet, a smirk on his face.

Toushiro was staring at him, dark fire simmering in her gaze, her pink lips parted. A loose wisp of soft white hair fell against her golden cheek. Cocky challenge bubbled in her wintry soul, a devious, cold flame burning through the heated beauty she exuded so effortlessly. Ichigo sighed hopelessly, raking his eyes across his girlfriend's small, curvy frame.

"You know, if you keep looking at me like that, I might just jump you." Ichigo said with a grin, his tone light and teasing. Toushiro went a pretty shade of pale scarlet, her emerald glare narrowing.

"You'd be castrated pretty quickly if you tried that." the young woman warned with a snarl, and Ichigo's grin shrank by a few teeth.

"...Shira, are you __sure__ you're alright?" he asked, concern entering his voice. Toushiro sighed and shifted her stance, wincing as her abdomen protested the movement. She shook herself.

"I'm fine, Kurosaki." she said distractedly, barely noticing as Ichigo's face crinkled in slight hurt. He readied his blade again, turning the hurt he felt into determination.

"There's something wrong." he insisted. "You haven't been this cold to me since before the Winter War."

"I said __I'm fine__. Is that not getting through your thick skull?"

Ichigo's eyebrow knitted together as Toushiro Shunpoed, her blade clashing with his in a flash of brilliant sparks. Up in the stands, the Kurosaki family and Matsumoto watched worriedly, confused by the young captain's sudden antagonism. But then there was a flicker of black and white, and Matsumoto turned. Ichibei Hyousube stood to her left, arms folded over his massive chest, a terrifying power oozing from his pores. The newbie shinigami sitting in front of their lieutenant froze, shaking under the unconscious output of the Royal Guard. He eyed the two sparring in the ring below with interest and mild suspicion.

"Ichibei-dono!" Matsumoto squeaked out, bowing quickly to him, but he raised his hand, a dark gleam in his bulging eyes. He gazed down at Hitsugaya with interest.

"Lieutenant...is your captain sufficiently recovered from her encounter with the ryoka to answer some questions?" the Guard asked, his voice like black oil. Matsumoto felt a shiver trickle down her spine.

"I-I believe so, sir." she said anxiously. "She's currently putting on a bit of a show for the new recruits we have, but she'll be-"

"So she does indeed use female pronouns." Ichibei cut the lieutenant off in midsentence, his eyes glowing. "I seem to remember her saying that her gender-switch was an accident with no current cure."

Matsumoto floundered for a second, then nodded weakly, unsure of where the Commander of the Royal Guard was going with his line of questioning.

"Uhm...yes, that's also correct..." she said uncertainly. "But Taicho's been playing around with being gender-neutral..."

Ichibei smiled, but there was no warmth in the smile, and instantly Matsumoto felt like she'd said something incredibly wrong. Just then, Isshin appeared next to her, his face set with a rare glint of steel.

"Ichibei." he said, his tone dark. "What are you playing at?"

The Commander of the Royal Guard glared evenly at the former captain, but kept silent. He merely shifted his stance, his reiatsu rising just a little bit in warning. Isshin's dark eyes narrowed.

"Fine, don't say anything - I know already." Isshin snapped. "But you're looking in the wrong place."

Ichibei tipped his head to the side, watching the dance of blades taking place beneath him. Ichigo and Toushiro spun round each other like spinning tops, one with evenly paced steps, the other with a hailstorm of light leaps.

"Am I?" he asked aloud, his voice slow. Something winked in the depths of his eyes. "I have the power to name things, but even I know that one's name can change as their being changes, and this one is changing as we speak."

Isshin took a threatening step forward, fire burning in his eyes.

"If you touch her..." he warned. Ichibei raised an eyebrow.

"I have a suspicion, but I do not have the proof to back it up." he said, his voice low with warning. "I will only say this once - do not let me see any proof."

Isshin stiffened at the implicit meaning of the Guard's words, but then Ichibei had brushed off the brief interaction and as Toushiro and Ichigo drew to a standstill, blades at each other's throats, the Royal Guard began a slow clap. The two looked up, one with a stormy glare, the other in plain surprise. Ichibei nodded down at them.

"An impressive display." His voice dripped with condescension. "But I need to borrow Hitsugaya-taicho, if you please."

Ichigo was acutely aware of the sudden tension in his small girlfriend's body, but then she leapt up and away, leaving only a small bead of blood sitting in the dust by her feet. Ichigo blinked at it in confusion, wondering at it - he hadn't managed to cut the girl - when realization hit. The temper, the abdominal discomfort, the bead of blood.

The color drained from Ichigo's face, and quickly he bounced up to Matsumoto, eyes open wide.

"Quick, where's the nearest chocolate store?" he asked hurriedly. Matsumoto stared at him.

"Ichigo, I-"

"Just tell me."

The lieutenant kept staring, but finally sighed and pointed off in the direction of the Thirteenth Division.

"Just go visit Ukitake." she sighed. "He'll give you candy for free, if you really want it-"

"Thank you!"

Then Ichigo was gone in a flicker of black and orange. Hitsugaya replaced him a few moments later, scowling deeply, her discomfited frown etched into her face, and Ichibei evaporated from sight behind her. Matsumoto blinked at her.

"What did Ichibei want to talk to you about?" she asked, baffled. Hitsugaya glared.

"Aizen's escape." she growled. "Wanted to know about the idiots who broke the bastard out. Wasn't much I could say - they had wings, tails, and wore virtually nothing. The male I fought had powers of fire and was at least twice as powerful as me. He also didn't deal fatal blows, even when he had the chance to. My guess is that whoever those people are, they don't have a grudge against Seireitei. After all, they defeated eight captains easily without killing a single one of us when I daresay that it would have been simple for them to do so."

Matsumoto's lips twitched at the dry description, then watched in no slight awe as a thin trickle of red slid down her captain's waraji and tabi. Her eyes widened, and suddenly everything - Ichigo's behavior, Toushiro's moodiness - made sense. Her expression gentled, and she leaned down to whisper in her captain's small ear.

"Taicho, I think you should go home and use the bathroom." she said softly. "I'll be over in a second with some...items that you'll need, okay? I'll just finish up with the rookies."

Toushiro looked up at her, puzzled, but then Matsumoto gave her a light, meaningful push, and sent the girl on.

"Go on." she urged, so Toushiro did.

And five minutes later, the poor young woman was panicking. Ice began to creep along the frosted tile floor of her bathroom, a red dollop landing on the iced ground. Hitsugaya stared at it in shock, the blood trickling down her legs in thin rivulets of red. Her undergarments were saturated as well, and she could feel that there was a mess in a place rather uncomfortable for her. She shivered, the cramps in her gut still a dragging ache.

 _"_ _ _Is there supposed to be that much blood?"__ she asked nervously. Hyourinmaru murmured anxiously in the back of her mind, trying to reassure his mistress, but Hitsugaya was too busy staring at the dripping fluid to really pay attention to what he was saying. She trembled again, trying to keep herself calm, but the sight of the crimson liquid scared her. What if something was wrong? What if she __was__ bleeding too much? Could blood loss from this kill her?

She put her head on her knees, trying to keep herself calm, and took deep breaths. She was being silly. Nothing was wrong. This was normal. Right?

 _ _Why was she bleeding so much?!__

Matsumoto gently put her ear against the door, listening to her captain's panicked breaths in fond compassion. The poor girl was clearly terrified. She sighed, then gently rapped on the bathroom door with her knuckles.

"Taicho, can I come in?" she asked gently. Ichigo's reiatsu flickered outside the house, hovering uncertainly on the young captain's porch. Hitsugaya's wintry power twitched in fearful uncertainty.

"...I'm not fully dressed right now...and there's...there's a mess..." she said faintly from inside the door.

Matsumoto sighed again, a fond smile lingering on her face.

"It's alright, honey." the older woman said kindly. "It's nothing I haven't seen before, remember? Can I please come in?"

"...okay..."

Slowly, Matsumoto opened the door, then quickly turned around and shut it behind her. She had a covered basket in one hand, and she set this down by the door before turning her gaze on her captain. Toushiro was perched on the icy toilet, her eyes wide in shock, her arms wrapped around herself like she was giving herself a comforting hug. Her kosode was pulled down to hide the upper part of her bare legs, but the trickles of scarlet on her calves were very clear. Rangiku's expression softened as Toushiro turned a pleading gaze on her.

"M-Matsumoto...I-I..." she stammered weakly, and the busty lieutenant marched over and planted a motherly kiss on the young captain's cold brow.

"Hush, it's alright." She swept the white hair out of her captain's somewhat terrified eyes. "You're okay, I promise."

Toushiro stared up at her.

"But...but there's so much..." she whispered. Rangiku smiled gently.

"It certainly seems that way at first, but I promise you, it's normal." she reassured the smaller woman. "You're not dying. Now could you warm it up in here?"

Toushiro blinked, startled.

"How did you...?" she wondered, the ice slowly melting as the temperature rose.

Matsumoto laughed and ruffled the younger girl's hair. A conspiratorial glint came to her eye.

"Hey, I was a young lady once too." she said with a grin. "I thought the exact same thing when I first ran into Bloody Mary there."

Toushiro's lips twitched up into a small smile.

"Bloody Mary?" she questioned. Matsumoto winked.

"It's a nice codename, don't you think?" the woman asked. "Now, you get yourself cleaned up as best as you can - I'll take your clothes, put them in the wash, and get you new ones. Then, when I get back, I'll teach you how to use 'girl products' and get you a few painkillers for your cramps. And I think Ichigo got some chocolate for you."

Toushiro blinked in surprise, then nodded slowly. Matsumoto smiled, kissing the younger girl's forehead again.

"Atta girl." she said approvingly. "Be right back."

The lieutenant picked up the stained clothing from its place by the bathtub and disappeared out the door. When she returned, Hitsugaya had carefully cleaned the blood from her legs, though she still sat perched on the toilet. The next few minutes were spent in an uncomfortable lesson concerning feminine hygiene products, but Matsumoto did her absolute best to make everything as comfortable as she could. Then she turned her back while the girl fixed herself up and put on fresh underwear and hakama.

Hitsugaya was led from the bathroom, a deep crimson blush on her face. Now that she knew the cause of her her previous discomfort and temper, she felt mildly embarrassed by her outbursts. But without a single word spoken about her previous coldness, Matsumoto sat her down in her living room, where she handed the girl a few painkillers for the cramps and let Ichigo stuff dark chocolate into his petite girlfriend and wrap her up in blankets. Toushiro cuddled into her boyfriend's lightly-toasted collarbone, murmuring apologies for her earlier behavior. Ichigo merely hushed her and stuffed another piece of chocolate into her open mouth.

"I have two sisters. I know how girls can get moody on their periods, and bloody hell, your kind can be __terrifying__. You didn't try to kill me, so it's fine." the orange-headed substitute said firmly. "Now, you eat your chocolate. Karin and Yuzu swear by it."

Hitsugaya laughed softly, but did as she was told, nibbling slowly on the bar of dark chocolate in her small hands. She still felt very uncertain about the whole situation, but at least she wasn't sitting in bloody hakama anymore.

Rangiku smiled at her captain from across the room.

"Feel better yet?" she asked. Toushiro thought about it, noting absently that her cramps were dulling slowly, and nodded.

"...the chocolate helps." she admitted quietly. "Sorry for being a bitch today."

"Shira, I told you, we know you didn't mean it." Ichigo said exasperatedly. "Just promise that you won't call me 'Kurosaki' again unless you absolutely have to, okay?"

Toushiro nodded into Ichigo's neck, inhaling his fresh, slightly citrus scent with a deep sigh.

"...if you insist, Strawberry."

"My name isn't 'strawberry,' dammit!"

* * *

 **So? What did you think? Leave an answer in the box below!**


	28. Name Change

**A/N: Here y'all go! Have fun!**

 **Also, there's not many more chapters now - we're coming up close on the ending! And then the** _Power of Seven_ **will resume!**

* * *

A pale hand reached out, hesitantly hovering over the door before retracting. A lone shinigami stood in front of the slab of wood, a folded sheet of well-read paper in their hands. Their brows knitted together, chewing their lower lip in mild distress, trying to decide whether or not to knock. But then the decision was made for them as the captain they were looking for appeared behind them in a flash of lightning Shunpo.

"Why are you here?" Soifon snapped stonily, throwing the door to her office open. The shinigami bit their lower lip.

"I...well, I saw someone drop something a while ago that may or may not be related to Aizen's escape." the shinigami said finally. Soifon froze, spinning around with wide eyes.

"Give it to me." she demanded. The folded paper was placed in her outstretched hand, and she flicked it open, reading through the diagrams with wide eyes. She looked up, dark grey eyes stormy with whiplashing anger.

"Have you reported this to the Tenth for their investigative files?" she barked. The shinigami shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to believe the worst - but Aizen had escaped.

"No, I haven't." they said at last. Soifon hissed in displeasure.

"Take this information to them at once, fool." she commanded coldly. The shinigami took a deep, steadying breath.

"I can't." they said. Soifon glared.

"And why is that?" she asked, her voice clipped. The shinigami pointed at the paper, their expression turning grim.

"The shinigami that had those diagrams...was Captain Hitsugaya."

* * *

Toushiro carefully erected the tri-layered barriers she'd come to use around the underground cavern where she'd been training with a carefully controlled whisper of reiatsu. Now that the Royal Guard was here, unleashing her full power would have to be very carefully done. Spillover wasn't an option. But the barriers went up with no trouble, and soon she was carefully concealed within the layered invisibility she'd made for herself. She sighed, relaxing in the relative security of her self-imposed prison, and softly called out a single name.

"Akaen?"

Almost immediately, the familiar orange portal opened in glowing human size, and the Kenmeinarei spirit stuck his fiery red head into the shinigami realm, nose crinkling in a fanged smile. He was in his humanoid form, toffee skin glowing.

"Greetings, fledgling queen." he said with a smile. "I trust in your good health."

Hitsugaya smiled, fingers brushing over the healed bone of her sword arm.

"Your trust is placed well; I have recovered fully. The breakout was perfect - thank you." she said gratefully. "Nobody was seriously injured but you pulled it off flawlessly."

Akaen's fanged grin spread to his orange eyes, his tattooed skin rippling with serpentine laughter, and he dropped into something like a squat as he crept towards the girl on all fours. Slowly, he came upon her and pressed his face into her side, tail coming up to coil around her neck. Toushiro sighed, allowing the Wildfire spirit's hands and tail to roam over her body in searching pattern, his breathing deep and slow. After a long while, Akaen leapt back a pace, still crouching like a leopard.

"Your scent has no trace of injury. But I believe I can smell that you have begun to bleed." he said, clearly satisfied by his inspection. Hitsugaya tried to hide the quirk of her lips. She'd freaked the first time that Akaen had done that to her, but she'd learned quickly that the thorough search was how adult Kenmeinarei checked over their young. She'd since grown accustomed to the close contact. It was actually sort of soothing, being held like that.

"...Well, yeah." Toushiro said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice, and she shifted. "I started...uh...well...I got my first visit from Bloody Mary four days ago."

Akaen nodded with an understanding amused glint in his fiery orange stare.

"Well then, I believe it's time you resume training with the Kenmeinarei. Your magic is powerful, but your skill is that of a hatchling still." he said as calmly as he could. Toushiro nodded, and Akaen gestured to the orange portal still glowing behind him with his tail. His face was solemn.

"Go through, Fledgling. You will train amongst my people today." he said gently, nudging her forward with a leathery wing. So Hitsugaya swallowed hard and stepped through the orange doorway. Her foot touched down against smooth stone, the gold-and-scarlet werelit cave in which Akaen and Kotabiki dwelled flickering with warm light

Almost immediately, her heart lightened, and she took a deep breath. The peaceful, thick air of the Kenmeinarei realm settled into her lungs like clouds, tranquil and cool. Akaen stepped through the portal behind her, tattoos glowing, then sealed the portal entrance with a whisper of orange magic. His large hand drifted down to the middle of Hitsugaya's back, right between her shoulder blades, and gave her another small push. She stumbled forward uncertainly, allowing Akaen to lead her through a small opening in the cave's far wall. They emerged into a large, sunlit grotto littered with fallen stalactites and protruding stalagmites, the cave's collapsed, grassy roof a beautiful spot of green in the center of the large area.

Kotabiki knelt in the center of this grassy pile of sunlit dirt, two baskets of sweet, ripe fruit and clean vegetables sitting before her. Her gossamer butterfly wings fluttered lightly, her gold and pale orange tattoos sparkling gently. Her coffee hands were outstretched, golden magic wreathing her fingertips, and her palms hovered lightly under a separate pair of spider-pale hands. Beside her was another Kenmeinarei spirit, this one a male with dragonfly wings and a whippy green tail. His long lime hair was carefully braided in a thousand tiny braids which swung endlessly around his head. His tattoos were also light green, and he too held his hands beneath the spider-pale palms, fingertips trickling faint wisps of green Deep-magic.

Sitting across from these two, deep shadows beneath his hazel eyes, his outstretched hands trembling violently, was Aizen Sousuke. His face was contorted, guilt and pain warring with the stony cruelty that he'd so often displayed after his betrayal. He was dressed simply in a light brown yukata, his feet bare, and as Hitsugaya watched, a slow, bright smile spread across his cheeks. Suddenly Toushiro felt her heart skip a few beats, her expression softening at the childlike expression on her former nemesis's sleepless face.

"Affection." he cried out abruptly, hazel eyes widening. "It's affection! I can remember this one!"

The two Kenmeinarei with him smiled in approval.

"Very good, hatchling." the green-haired male praised, dropping his hands. Kotabiki followed suit, their magic fading, and Aizen's expression shifted back into chiseled apathy. "Now, focus on how you felt and describe that feeling."

Aizen took a deep breath, eyes narrowing. He looked like he was thinking hard. Finally, he spoke.

"...Warm." he said quietly. "It...was warm. And...it was directed out, like I was spearing someone with a sunbeam. How strange."

Kotabiki glanced up as the green-haired spirit continued to encourage the man to elaborate, to attempt to reconnect with that lost emotion, then smiled widely as she saw Hitsugaya standing there by her mate's side.

"Ah, Sousuke-hina, Reiiyasu, I think that's enough for today." she said, standing. The two looked up at her, Aizen with a distinctly disgruntled expression, but then they both caught sight of Hitsugaya's distinctive white hair, pulled into a half-up ponytail. Her eyes were decorated with a thin flick of eyeliner, just enough to make the green of her eyes pop but not enough to be immediately noticeable. Aizen gazed at her for a long minute, something like yearning in his cold hazel eyes.

The green-haired spirit stood upon seeing the young shinigami captain, a curiously wistful expression flickering across his face. He loped forward, dragonfly wings buzzing like dewdrop gemstones of green beryl, and planted his pale bare feet right in front of the surprised girl. He sniffed in bewilderment, then backed up a pace.

"Oh..." he said faintly. "Oh, Kotabiki-sama, her scent..."

"She's an Alpha, Reiiyasu." Kotabiki said calmly. "A young Alpha, but an Alpha nonetheless. Do not startle her carelessly, regardless of whether she is Tamashino or not."

Reiiyasu narrowed his pale lime eyes in wistful melancholia but nodded docilely, a small smile fluttering across his face.

"Toushiko-kishou." he said with a sad quiver in his otherwise gentle voice. "I am Reiiyasu, at your service."

Hitsugaya started in surprise at the unusual twist in what had been her name, and suddenly lightning struck her thoughts, jade eyes widening.

"...Toushiko." she murmured, staring at Reiiyasu in shock. "That's...that's not my name."

Reiiyasu smiled in his melancholy manner and dipped his head.

"No, it is not." he said softly. "But I think that it is who you are. For you are the same and yet you are different."

Hitsugaya's lips twitched, her green eyes lowering. A thin trickle of snowy ice-bluewhite trickled from her silvered fingertips, frost curling up her pale cheeks.

"I am the same yet different." she parroted contemplatively, the sparks of lightning flickering over her mind. Then she ducked her head and laughed, cupping her face in a hand. Why had she not thought of it sooner? Changing one's name was difficult, but changing a single character in her name? Much simpler, and she'd probably get other people used to saying it more quickly.

And if she kept the first two of her original name characters...then she'd always have that little bit of the boy she'd been for so long with her.

"Toushiko." she said, grinning widely, rolling the name on her tongue. "Hitsugaya Toushiko. I...I like that. Thank you, Reiiyasu."

Reiiyasu dipped his head, a small smile passing across his face.

"My Aspect is the Healing Heart." he said softly. "My ability is understanding and healing other's emotional wounds. Forgive my intrusion - I merely saw a simple solution..."

Hitsugaya waved him off carelessly, tossing her head.

"...you helped me." she said simply. "I...I've been searching for my own name for a long time, and you just gave it to me without even trying. I'm grateful."

Reiiyasu bowed again, then turned to Kotabiki and sank to one knee with quiet devotion in his eyes.

"Kotabiki-sama, may I take my leave?" he asked. The golden-haired woman nodded, her golden eyes flashing with kind fire.

"Of course, Reiiyasu. You have done well today." Kotabiki said with a warm smile. "Go have some fun!"

Reiiyasu smiled wanly, then his dragonfly wings buzzed and he leapt into the air.

"Yes, my lady."

Then he flew lazily away, his whippy green tail helping to steer him on the breeze until he was a mere speck in the sky. Akaen watched him go with glowing orange eyes, the emberlike simmering of his fiery power glittering on the myriad tattoos that rippled over his tanned skin. Then Aizen, his voice slick with mixed emotions, spoke.

"Hitsugaya-chan..." he murmured, standing unsteadily from his spot in the sun-warmed dirt. His hands trembled once then became stiller. It was clear that he was all too aware of the loss of his Zanpakutou and the long suppression of his reiatsu while in the nurturing atmosphere of the Kenmeinarei and Royal Family's realm. There were hollows in his cheeks, and the light brown yukata hung off his lean frame in a baggy manner. He'd lost weight since the Winter War.

Toushiko - so newly named - inclined her head briefly, her emerald stare cold.

"Aizen."

Her voice was frosty, her expression snapping with barely disguised resentment and anger. The former prisoner looked searchingly at her, then narrowed his hazel eyes.

"You still feel anger towards me." He said certainly, and Toushiro scoffed coldly.

"Is not natural to feel anger towards those who betray their trust?" she sniped fiercely, ice blazing in her white teeth. Her canine teeth sharpened faintly. "Weren't you at least a bit annoyed when Ichimaru nearly killed you?"

Aizen frowned, brows knitting together in consternation. He suddenly looked irritated, his slanted glare hardening into murky granite. His fists clenched by his sides, a thin smirk of cruel amusement on his face.

"I don't need a mere child to lecture me on emotion." he said silkily. "Especially not a child captain with a predictable, easily-manipulated temper. Or have you not forgotten how your anger makes you reckless, Hitsugaya-chan?"

Stone cracked beneath Hitsugaya's feet and she went utterly still. Aizen blinked in surprise as the young woman before him seemed to condense into cold ice, the anger on her face turning to emotionless apathy. He'd meant to provoke her, but for some reason she wasn't responding with reckless fury as she always had. Akaen and Kotabiki watched, their tails stiff and teeth bared in alarm, but they did nothing to quell the building thunderhead of silent vengeance. Hitsugaya's lips curled up then, her gold-toned face twisting. The smile was cruel and cold, devoid of compassion, and she raised a hand, pulling aside the collar of her kosode and haori to expose her collarbone. Two of the three lotus flowers painted black there began to glow.

Toushiko's sneer was pronounced, but her voice was soft.

"You forget your place, Aizen Sousuke." she informed him, malicious pleasure shifting coils of hatred in her chest. "Gentei Kaijo: Seal of the Second Lotus."

A soft light the color of ice gleamed from Toushiko's skin, wisping off her curvy frame in delicate curls of airborne frost as her reiatsu surged, and Aizen was struck by the cold beauty of the young woman before him for a split second, marveling brokenly at the glow illuminating her every cell. But then she sighed, and the world came crashing down around Aizen's ears. He dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, and wrapped his arms around himself. A glacier bore down on his shoulder blades, and though his above-captain-levels of reiatsu seethed under the pressure he could feel his throat and chest clamping up, choking him. The numbing, burning chill of wild winter fury and patient bloodthirst was cloying.

A droplet of sweat dripped down his cheek, but he could breathe.

Then the pressure lifted, and a chilling laugh sounded from the white-haired girl's throat. Aizen gritted his teeth, lifting his head to glare at her from where he knelt in the dirt.

"You should know the wrath of a dragon, Aizen." Hitsugaya murmured softly, her tone patronizing, and without warning Aizen saw himself in the girl before him. Boiling rage mixed with amusement and a hint of pride swirled through him, and he bit his lower lip in an attempt to keep himself silent. He had bowed to her, and though he felt some shame in that, he understood that once subordinate he would remain so. Her strength had grown while his had withered. His involvement with the Hogyoku had stripped from him the remnants of Kyoka Suigetsu's soul while Hitsugaya's acceptance of her feminine being had strengthened her bond with her Zanpakutou. She was what he had always wanted to be but had never been able to achieve.

Without realizing it, Aizen grasped at his heart, trying to ignore the ache in his chest. He no longer understood pain such as this, but it had become more frequent since arriving in this strange realm. But nevertheless, he felt his gaze drop.

"...Yes, Hitsugaya-sama." he said finally, voice a mere whisper. The surge of cold reiatsu gentled suddenly, and when he looked up a pair of conflicted emerald eyes was before him. His face curled into a smirk of derision, then froze halfway, uncertainty flickering in his mind as unfamiliar emotions assaulted him. Hitsugaya gazed up at him blankly, searching just as he had done just a moment ago.

"Aizen, what do you want?" she asked softly, and the hazel-eyed man immediately realized what type of answer she wanted from him. She wasn't asking him if he wanted the crown of Seireitei. She wasn't gauging his thirst for revenge - which was quite high, but currently irrelevant - and she wasn't trying to psychoanalyze him either. The question felt remarkably like a test.

His brows lowered.

"I wasn't aware I had to answer to a lowly captain of the Gotei 13." he said, his voice like black oil. Hitsugaya drew back a pace, her expression curiously disappointed. She sighed.

"Aizen, I am Tamashino Kenmeinarei." she replied with a presence like steel. "I wield Hyourinmaru, strongest of the dragon-Zanpakutou, and I have mastered my Bankai and Fukyuukai. My challenge to the throne of Seireitei is not hinged upon your willingness to answer to me. I do not need your power."

Hitsugaya glared down at the man before her, then felt herself soften again, pity and compassion sweeping through her heart in a wave of benevolent white snow. Hyourinmaru keened sadly in her soul.

"Aizen, I need you to __heal__." she whispered to him. "I did not plot your escape from Muken for you to wallow with this hardened heart of yours. I did not commit treason for you to stay here lusting for power. Power will not return Kyoka Suigetsu to you, no matter how you strike the Royal Family with it."

For the first time, Toushiko saw vulnerability flash into the murky hazel depths of those cold eyes, and suddenly Aizen's expression seemed almost clear. For a moment she saw the man she'd thought she'd known for so long - the Aizen-taicho that Hinamori had always bragged about. But then the quick sliver of wholeness faded, and Aizen returned to the half-hollow statue he'd been for so long, slowly pulling himself back to his feet.

"Power is the only thing that will allow me to ascend to the vacancy in the sky." he murmured. Toushiko took a deep breath, once again bringing to the forefront of her mind the memory of reading the account of the attack that left Aizen cracked and broken. She needed to pity him, needed to feel compassion, or else this would not work and she'd end up killing the man whom she hated so much.

"That power was taken from you, Aizen." she said softly, her voice trembling. "Kyoka Suigetsu is gone. And to get her back, you have to learn how to be __like__ her. You have to remember the person you were when she was still part of your soul. If you can't do that, I can't let you help me."

That caught Aizen's attention. He cocked his head to the side.

"Why?" he asked. The vulnerable, genuine __feeling__ was back in his eyes. Toushiko kept herself calm, though inside she could see that she was breaking through the layers of careful insanity to reach the man inside this shell.

"...Because the member of the Royal Family that now has your Zanpakutou is your son, Aizen, and he is still a child."

The world went still. Aizen took a step back in shock.

"...My...son...?" his voice split. He suddenly looked conflicted, the smug superiority he so effortlessly exuded crumbling. "...I...I have...a son?"

Toushiko felt her lips curl up at the distinct sight of constricted joy and choking horror on her former adversary's face. She nodded, then watched as the man wrapped his arms around his torso.

"...So...all those years ago...something good came of it..." he whispered. Suddenly he looked pained, and Hitsugaya felt her heart ache. She knew that the traitorous captain had the memories of his rape resurfacing in his mind, and Hyourinmaru's anger stirred. On impulse, she reached out and took the tall man's hands in hers.

"It's okay, Aizen." she said, her voice soft. "I promise the Queen and her family will fall. I swear that I will exact vengeance for you and all the Tamashino that have suffered at the hands of those corrupt tyrants."

Aizen stared at her, disbelief in his eyes. Then he laughed, the amusement in his face returning in a haze of slick cruelty, but somewhere within she could see the glimmer of that returning light, permanent this time.

"...I always hated you for being whole." he said finally. "I hated you for being able to live with Hyourinmaru, for being able to smile and laugh with others without those emotions being foreign and forced. And I knew you cared about Hinamori-kun. I couldn't bring myself to actually kill you, because although I hated you, I envied you. But I thought that I would at least make you feel the pain of loss. That's...that's why I targeted Hinamori-kun."

Hitsugaya blinked in shock, not expecting the man who'd caused her so much pain to reveal his motivations for doing so. Aizen's grip on her small fingers tightened.

"I __still__ hate you!" he spat, the faintest glimmer of liquid silver on his eyelashes. "I...I __hate__ you...but I can't...I can't do anything to hurt you anymore...because..."

He shook himself and looked down into the young woman's startled green eyes.

"I...I can't do anything to hurt you because...because when I'm with you, I'm not alone anymore." he said in a whisper. "Finally...you can finally understand my hatred, my pain, like Kyoka Suigetsu could."

Hitsugaya stared, at a loss for words. Aizen took a shuddering breath, eyes clearly watering.

"All I wanted...was for someone to understand." His voice cracked slightly. The tension dissipated from Toushiko's shoulders, her hatred evaporating like water in the height of summer, and her heart swelled.

"I understand, Aizen-kun." she replied gently. "I understand now."

He nodded weakly, appearing bewildered by the emotions rocking his mind.

"I know." he said. Then he laughed, the sound cold. "You know...I can remember how warm kindness and affection felt when I had Kyoka Suigetsu. I just don't feel those emotions anymore."

Hitsugaya raised a thin white eyebrow, ignoring how Akaen and Kotabiki were watching them carefully.

"Can you try?" she asked, her voice low. Aizen's mouth quirked, slanted gaze narrowing in thought.

"I don't know if I need to." he said with certainty. "You brought me here and you understood me, and now...now there's something there. Something warm. Something that reminds me of how I was before I lost Kyoka Suigetsu. You somehow turned that hatred I felt into something warm by understanding me."

He released her hands and before she exactly knew what was happening Aizen had reached out, a curious expression on his face, and tucked a loose strand of white hair behind her faintly-pointed ear. She froze, unsure of herself, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. Suddenly she realized just how close they were - Aizen's chiseled face loomed above hers. He seemed just as puzzled as she was.

"Hitsugaya-sama, I don't think I can disobey you." his brow wrinkled, a vein in his neck pulsing with irritation and heat. "This warmth...I don't think it will let me."

Toushiko took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Do you...do you recognize it from when you had Kyoka Suigetsu?" she cursed inwardly as her words trembled, but Aizen didn't appear to notice. Instead, that permanent, genuine light in his eyes flickered.

"...Yes." he said, expression unreadable. "...It's affection."

* * *

-hina - hatchling/chick

-kishou - precious flight (what the Kenmeinarei call their fledglings)

 **Review, please!**


	29. Reign Over the (Frosted) Heavens

**A/N:** **And it's the reveal that y'all have been waiting for! Fukyuukai Daiguren Hyourinmaru!**

 **Not much longer now! And if you haven't voted yet...VOTE! I really wanna know what y'all think.**

* * *

"You must always be able to feel the Deep-magic running through you, always have it on the edge of your mind in constant thrumming presence."

Hitsugaya allowed herself to relax, the winter in her soul spreading like frost through her veins, and the faint silver-blue filigree on her fingertips began to shimmer with wintry northern wind and storm. The Deep-magic woven through the fabric of her existence began to stir, the thrumming winter storm resonating thunder in her chest. She breathed out, ice crystals in her exhalation. But then the sight of Aizen's puzzled face and his confused declaration of affection tumbled through her mind and the Deep-Magic within her soul flared into rapid potency. Ice shot from her feet and without a second's notice the entire forest was a winter paradise.

"Dokasai!"

Scarlet flame burst into being, melting the errant ice created by Toushiko's magic. Akaen looked at her, his palms alight with flame. His wings fluttered in the oddly hot-and-cold air.

"Fledgling, you are disturbed." he said gently, his expression making it clear that he wanted answers. Toushiko averted her gaze.

"It's..it's just what Aizen said." she muttered, ignoring the frost that clung to her skin and scant clothes. She stood calf-deep in snow in her full Fukyuukai form, her senses keener than any sole animal's. "That he feels affection towards me."

Akaen sighed a long sigh.

"Toushiko-kishou." he said sternly. "Use your nose, little one. Can you not still smell the scent of your mateling on your skin?"

Hitsugaya relaxed again and took a deep breath. Instantly Ichigo's faint scent invaded her nostrils, the traces of sweat mixed with sweet citrus. She felt herself flush at the smell of her boyfriend, Ichigo's distinct aroma both comforting and exciting in one breath.

"I know - the scent of one's mateling lingers on the skin if the feelings shared between them are strong." she said, shuffling her feet. "But I have never trusted Aizen."

"He will not try to harm you, Fledgling." Akaen assured her gently. "He has suffered enough to understand the evil of wishing such an experience on another. But you forget that there are many kinds of affection, and Sousuke-hina, for all his pretense, is an omega spirit. Omega spirits typically feel strong, platonic affection towards the alpha or beta whom they bond with."

Toushiko instantly felt her apprehension dissolve, and Hyourinmaru chuckled in her ears.

 _"_ _ _And you were so worried."__

 _"_ _ _Oh, shut up, dragon."__

Akaen bent his knees, orange eyes aflame with solemnity.

"Now, try again." he said calmly. "Let the Deep-magic flow through you; let its instinct guide you."

Hitsugaya closed her eyes again and let the current of melodic power streaming through her grow into a river, until she could feel the Arctic wind and ice howling in her fingertips. For a long moment she stood there in the snow, breathing slowly, her expression peaceful. But then she felt a pull, a tug on her heart, and she opened her eyes and followed willingly.

The world faded into white and pale blue, wind coursing around her, and she spun lightly on the balls of her feet, the thin bands of silvery-white platinum on her ankles gently clinking together as she began to step. She could feel the pulse of winter thrumming in her chest, the chime of snow and ice caught in a blizzard of a tinkling treble melody to complement the slow bass beat of glaciers and the windswept frozen tundra. A smile lit her face.

And she started to dance.

Toushiko swirled in circles, silvery-white and pale blue-white magic trailing from her fingertips, frost racing across the ground in silvered rime every time her feet touched the earth. Her Fukyuukai-form hair, hip-length and loose, caught in messy half-braids at random intervals with strands of thin platinum wire studded by tiny chips of diamond ice woven through the snowy length, streamed behind her head like a sheet of sleet as the music only she could hear swelled to a crescendo. She sped up unconsciously, ribbons of pure white and silver, shot with pale grey and palest blue, like the stormy sky above her spiraling from her hands and feet, the magic wreathing her glowing figure leaving trails of icy power luminous in the air behind her.

Akaen watched, pride in his orange eyes as the young Tamashino Kenmeinarei spirit in front of him danced to the beat of the drum in her heart.

And suddenly Hitsugaya stopped in mid-motion, arms spread wide and raised slightly, her face lifted to the sky with half-lidded jade eyes, her feet light on the ground. The trail of magic her dance had left behind her shone brightly in midair, twined in an intricate design similar to a celtic knot. She blinked once, dreamlike, then lowered her brows and slammed her palms together over her head.

"Hokkyokusei!"

There was a sudden burst of silvery light, the knotted magic shimmering brightly, and then the sky lit up, the woven spell turning insubstantial and exploding outwardly in a rush of pure energy. Speckled magic quickly spread throughout the landscape, and slowly, a slender diadem of platinum and gemlike diamond-ice formed on Hitsugaya's head. Akaen stared in shock as Toushiko turned to face him, curiously touching the newfound tiara on her head. In the sky far overhead, a sudden speck of light gleamed. Akaen turned a stricken gaze on it.

"The North Star." he whispered, mouth somewhat agape, his fangs showing white. "The guiding light, ruler of the heavens."

Suddenly, he turned a helpless gaze on the young woman before him, gazing at her searchingly, absorbing every detail of her Fukyuukai release. Much like other Kenmeinarei spirits' human forms, Hitsugaya stood barefoot, her ears long and fully pointed; a pair of sharp white fangs curled neatly into her mouth. She wore platinum bracelets on her wrists and ankles, and, rather unusually for the Kenmeinarei, also wore a choker-style necklace of the same silvery-white material, set with a few chips of the gemlike ice. Upon her head was the newly-made, delicate-filigree tiara surmounting the long, hip-length mass of her wild white hair, still twined into half-finished braids in places and woven with platinum wire. Similar to Kotabiki, she wore a loincloth-like garment and a sash around her breasts, except these pieces of silken cloth were extremely pale blue in color and shot through with threads of pale silver and white. However, as with any fledgling Kenmeinarei spirit, the tattoos that spread over her golden skin were nebulous, slowly forming and shifting and reforming in other colors. A pair of lean wings with downy white and pale grey feathers were nestled against her spine, and a sinuous feathered tail tipped by a sharp, crescent moon barb snaked out from under the icy-blue cloth.

The circlet on her head shimmered as it caught the winter sunlight.

"Akaen, it was not my intent to startle you, but it seems that somehow I managed to do so." she said worriedly, shaping her tongue around the not-question as best as she could. Akaen looked over her, pride and sorrow and some sort of luminous joy on his face.

"You are the North Star." he whispered to her. "One of the Four Cardinal Spirits."

Hitsugaya blinked as Hyourinmaru's purr rumbled in her chest, barely noticing as a mirroring hum came from her lips. Hyourinmaru had definitely said that before. So she nodded slowly.

"I believe my Zanpakutou may have mentioned that phrase to me once, yes. I didn't believe it was very important at the time." she said, her voice somewhat pleased. She __had__ just pulled off a massive snowstorm spell. Seireitei and the World of the Living were going to be completely blanketed in white this January. But Akaen just shook his head at her.

"You do not understand the magnitude of your power, little queenling." he said gently. "The Four Cardinals are the four most powerful Alpha spirits in existence, and they each claim a linked set of Aspects as their own to form an exceedingly vast power. Each claims a season as their own, an element of the four basic elements, and a celestial body to represent them. The Sun is linked with summer and fire, the Moon is linked with spring and water, the Earth is linked with fall and earth, and the North Star is linked with winter and air. From there, any idea which can be loosely connected with their initial, linked Aspects can augment their power. For instance; the Sun's Kenmeinarei guardian can manipulate heat and light because those two elements are related to fire, in spite of the fact that there is a Kenmeinarei spirit whose Aspect is Heat."

Toushiko stared, tail and feathers drooping in shock as she understood the implication. Akaen sighed deeply, running a hand through his long, loose red hair.

"The power of the Four is somewhat limited, however." he conceded finally, lips twisting up in a slight smile. "While the Four Cardinals can manipulate and call upon any element within their realm of power, only a Kenmeinarei spirit with the particular Aspect can cast the individualized spells to force their element to function correctly. For example; I, as the living consciousness of Wildfire, am the only spirit able to coax wildfires into starting, burning, and fading away properly. The Sun Spirit as Fire can coax __flames__ into behaving like proper flames, but the effect is generalized."

Hitsugaya's face cleared.

"So the Four Cardinals have broad-spectrum power but limited ability to focus it, and most Kenmeinarei spirits have narrow-spectrum power but a fine-tuned ability to focus that power." she said, mulling the concept over in her mind. Akaen nodded approvingly.

"A succinct way of describing it." he praised with a nod. Then he glided forward and tenderly coiled his tail around Toushiko's white tail. She still seemed lost in thought, but at the touch of warmth on her cool, feathered tail she broke from her thoughts and glanced up at the sky. The wind felt chilly and freeing on her face.

She practiced her spellcasting with Akaen for another two hours, until the Deep-magic current in her soul had become a torrential flood of power, swift and strong and dangerous, churning storm in her hands and shrieking wind in her chest. Yet she felt oddly calm despite the raging devastation of the Deep-magic. Somehow, the whirling thunderheads and storms in her soul felt completing, as if filling in a void she hadn't known that existed.

Hyourinmaru purred as the taste of crackling wind and winter crept across his scales, and he blew a puff of wintry ice-smoke into the mix.

 _"_ _ _It has been too long since I felt this power."__ he sighed. _"_ _ _I almost forgot that this was mine once."__

Toushiko let her lips curl slightly, humming.

 _"_ _ _It is still not complete."__ she murmured to the purring dragon. Hyourinmaru stirred from his lazy coils in the snow of her inner world, opening one eye in mild amusement.

 _"_ _ _Oh, I'm aware."__ he snorted. _"_ _ _But it has been a great many years since one of your reincarnations has even made contact with the Deep-magic of our shared soul. You have done well, my young dragoness."__

 _"_ _ _...dragoness?"__

 _"_ _ _You are getting too big for me to keep calling you 'little one' and 'fledgling' all the time. You have mastered your Fukyuukai, you are well on your way to your First Flight, you have a mateling, you have finally met 'Bloody Mary'..."__

Hitsugaya gave the dragon in her mind a mental shove, her cheeks coloring a bit at the teasing mention of her period, and Hyourinmaru laughed. Then he became quiet, a gentle love and intense pride swelling through his shinigami as he projected those emotions onto her soul.

 _"_ _ _I'm proud of you, Toushiko-chan."__ the ice-drake rumbled tenderly. Hitsugaya could feel the warmth radiate in her heart, her expression softening, and the ghostly press of comfortingly-frozen scales against her cheek

"Thank you, Hyourinmaru." she murmured into the cold air around her.

* * *

Akaen ran through the forest like a deer, using his hands as often as his feet to spring through the undergrowth and towering trees. Toushiko followed at a slight distance, trying to keep up, but the bipedal motion of her legs was hindered partially by her tail, which seemed to have suddenly developed a mind of its own. She had mastered her Fukyuukai's extra limbs - or so she'd thought until she had attempted to sprint.

After a little while longer, she gave up and leaned over, until she felt her palms hit the rough earth, and she sprang forward. Her tail streamed behind her, and suddenly the earth was rolling away from her loping half-pounce, the trees streaming by in wooden ribbons. The wind caressed her face and played with her hair, the familiar chill of a winter breeze rolling over her mostly-exposed skin.

Up ahead, Akaen swerved sharply around a tree, and without thinking Toushiko followed, her tail whipping out to counterbalance her sudden shift in weight. Dirt dug into her blue-tinged fingertips, masking the silvery-blue filigree, but her body felt effortlessly light and agile as she ran so the touch of the earth didn't bother her. She fluttered her wings tentatively, then experimentally tested their strength with a strong downward pulse as she next threw her hands forward. The wind around her stirred at her will and she found herself bounding forward, sailing through the air, for a moment aloft, but then she touched down again. Laughter lit her face in radiant colors, and she repeated the action, the beating of her wings speeding her earthbound sprint to a swift blur.

She barely noticed when she overtook Akaen, a broad smile on her face. The Wildfire Kenmeinarei watched the girl dash away, satisfaction upon his toffee visage. She had not realized it yet, but her experimental wing-bounds were the first of several steps in the process of learning how to fly in a human form. He had hoped that after she had learned how to run as the Kenmeinarei did, then he could introduce this step to her in preparation for her First Flight. But then again, if she was the North Star then she was also the wind, air, and sky, ruler of the heavens. If was only natural that flying should come so quickly to her.

He spread his leathery wings and leapt into the air so as to better follow the young fledgling, a smile on his face. Their last exercise of the day would be to stop by the nearest Gathering site for the Kenmeinarei spirits and finally introduce the young Tamashino spirit to their ways.

But for that, she had to be going the right direction.

He swooped down from the sky and glided over her as she ran, a scarlet eyebrow raised. She looked up at him, then slowly reduced her pace until he could easily drop in beside her. He smiled.

"Follow me."

Akaen led her directly to the large stone plateau on which the dragons and phoenixes gathered. It was a large outcropping of rock, the remnant of a mountain cut down in its prime, and stood alone in a sea of green trees. Altogether, some three hundred and fifty full-size dragons and phoenixes in their non-human forms could fit comfortably upon the cool rock slab. Most of the time, however, this area was used for teaching the children, battles for dominance, festivals, and the general conduct of trade. It was also a popular socializing spot for most of the more sociable of the Kenmeinarei population

The red-haired Kenmeinarei darted nimbly up the ancient stone staircase hewed into the side of the mountain, and Toushiko followed him without hesitation. The narrow stairs were winding and the slope of the mountain was steep, but something about this location told her that no matter the case, she would not fall. And even if she did, she had wings. Might as well try to use them.

After a steep climb, the pair reached the top, and for the first time Hitsugaya understood the legacy she was part of by the right of her soul.

Hundreds of Kenmeinarei spirits bustled about the vast plateau, some laughing and dancing songless dances, some exchanging baskets of food and goods or other things, some lounging about in their non-humanoid forms, and in one corner of the elevated stone plain Hitsugaya could see two female Kenmeinarei dueling ferally, fangs bared and tails lashing violently as they struggled. Akaen coiled his tail around Toushiko's gold-toned wrist with a smile.

"These are your kin, little queenling." he said to her. "If you wish to meet them, I will guide you around."

The young captain turned an icy glare upon the taller Kenmeinarei spirit, derision written all over her face.

"If I wish to meet them?" she repeated, looking faintly incredulous. "Akaen, that better have been rhetorical - you know me too well at this point."

The older spirit laughed cheerily.

"All too true, fledgling." he conceded with a white smile and then he stepped forward, pulling the young woman into the busy heart of Kenmeinarei society. The pair made a beeline towards the center of the plateau, where a bonfire burned in shades of every color, a scintillating display of beauty. Around this bonfire, there were small, raised platforms made of seamless stone carved with intricate designs in the same mixture of tribal and celtic that marked the tattoos on most of the adults' skin. Rough wooden bowls filled with water and what smelled like strong wine were placed neatly upon these table-like structures, and small, circular pieces of bread filled woven baskets. Akaen gestured to the baskets of bread.

"Take one piece for yourself, and cast the other into the bonfire." he instructed softly. "Eat the bread after you have given a portion to the fire. Then come back and drink from the bowl of wine."

Toushiko nodded, understanding that this was a part of the culture she had yet to fully understand, and did as she was told. The bread burned in white fire and tasted sweet on her tongue, in sharp contrast to the bitter red wine, but she refused to let her face sour. Then Akaen, who had just performed the same strange ritual, turned his attention to the bowl of water. He dipped his right hand in, cupping it so as to hold a meager amount of water, and then poured the trapped droplets over his left hand. Hitsugaya watched curiously, then copied Akaen's movements at his direction.

It was suddenly as if a switch had flipped. All around, the Kenmeinarei that had previously ignored the two began to wave or smile, calling out greetings to the Wildfire spirit. Toushiko blinked in surprise. So the little ritual they'd just performed was like a greeting then, was it? It signaled to everyone else that they were willing to participate in social interaction?

Well, it was probably a politeness-thing as well...

Akaen, true to his word, shepherded the young Tamashino girl around, introducing her to several of the other Kenmeinarei spirits, including a male river-stone spirit and a female pine-tree spirit, both of whom were quite serene phoenixes. But then trouble struck - and when she said trouble, she meant other fledgling Kenmeinarei.

A girl, around the physical age of seventeen or eighteen, stalked forward, her deep grey dragon-wings rustling restlessly. Her hair was long, curly, and dark grey in color, her eyes an odd, washed-out lavender contrast to the rest of her deep-chocolate face, clad in monochromatic shades of grey and pale-grey-purple. She was flanked by two others, one of which was a male Kenmeinarei in verdant mossy green, the other of which was a female who wore pale pink streaked by light orange.

Akaen, his face neutral, hung back slightly. Toushiko only took passing note of this, choosing instead to focus on the confrontational three before her. Exasperation hardened her expression as the lavender-eyed girl stopped in front of her, a sneer on her face.

"You." the unknown girl snapped. "I don't know you."

Hitsugaya raised a white eyebrow, meeting the challenging stare levelly, stamping down the irritation that threatened to show on her face. She took a short sniff, detecting the girl's scent, then sighed a long-suffering sigh. The girl was also an Alpha, and judging by how the fifteen-or-so other fledglings hung back, watching neutrally, she was probably the leading Alpha of this small pack.

"Hitsugaya Toushiko." she said finally, deeming it appropriate to respond after the long pause. "You are also unknown to me."

The taller girl sniffed haughtily, but the twitching of her tail belied a rooted anxiety in her demeanor that Toushiko found strangely satisfying.

"Enseki." the young female bit out after a moment. "I don't like you."

Toushiko rolled her eyes.

"What a surprise." she drawled, her tone bored. Enseki's grey demeanor went sharp, and suddenly there were bared fangs in Hitsugaya's face, a snarl of warning rumbling from the girl's throat.

"Watch your tongue - I'm in charge here." she hissed, and without thinking Hitsugaya let her powers flare up, instantly converting to cold and dangerous. Her long white hair fanned out behind her, eyes flashing like stormy emeralds, and the delicate tiara on her head flashed with a pinprick of bright, ancient light. To the north, a sudden bright star shone in the pale blue sky. Frost crept along the ground, and Toushiko took a half-step forward. Her voice was soft.

"You do not want to provoke me, Enseki." the young captain warned quietly, ignoring the way that snow and ice and a gentle winter breeze began to wind about her curvy frame. The grey Kenmeinarei took a few steps away, her pointed ears twitching with hidden fear, then snarled again.

"No, I think that's exactly what I want to do!" she growled, then charged. Toushiko felt her reserve snap and as Enseki loomed over her, the young captain called upon her magic, twining it with her reiatsu to sharpen the attack power and howled a wordless battle cry. Hyourinmaru roared in her soul.

The wind picked up, shrieking across the plateau, and all around the Kenmeinarei sucked in breaths of shock and covered their faces as the gale-like wind seethed. Water crystallized in midair, clouds forming thick pallets of angry thunderheads in the sky just above them, and lightning flashed in icy blue bolts as Hitsugaya's temper raged. A blast of wintry sleet and storm hit Enseki hard in the chest, throwing her several feet back and causing bluing ice to spread over the girl's torso.

A clap of thunder shook the sky, and suddenly freezing rain was pouring down onto their heads. The cold water slicked Toushiko's long, wild white hair to her back and neck, her garments darkening with water as they were soaked, but she seemed to be glowing in the rain, anger flashing in her eyes like the bolts of lightning in the sky. Enseki shakily looked up, smoke billowing from her palms, but the wind howled and blew her smoky power away, leaving the ice to slowly creep up the girl's body to her neck.

Deep-magic glowing in pale, icy blue and stormy grey-white about her gold-toned palms, Hitsugaya stalked forward.

"I __said__ that you shouldn't provoke me." the young woman said, her soft voice somehow audible above the rage of thunder, lightning, sleet, and rain. "But I will give you one more chance."

Toushiko barely noticed when her feet left the ground, a nimbus of icy-pale light illuminating her levitating form, but she used the sudden lack of contact to swoop up and lean into her challenger's face, teeth bared.

"So __yield__." she hissed.

Enseki looked at her with wide eyes, then smiled and bowed her head, recognizing the power of a superior Alpha.

"I yield."

Instantly the sky cleared, the wind calmed, and the soles of Toushiko's feet tapped lightly onto the drenched stone. The weak winter sun twinkled in the bluing heavens. With curious clarity she felt the fight slide out of her. She sighed, and waved a hand. The ice creeping over Enseki's throat and chest melted into cool, clear water. Hyourinmaru's purring pleasure echoed in her heart, a cool drift of blizzardy pride. Behind her, she heard Akaen sigh, clear approval in his tone.

Enseki stood up, then turned to the other young Kenmeinarei spirits with a sheepish grin. Several of the others began laughing at the expression on her face, and the boy in verdant mossy green grinned broadly.

"You just got your arse handed to you by a girl a foot shorter than you!" he laughed. "By the Earth King, Enseki!"

Enseki scowled, her curly grey hair hanging in wet clumps about her face.

"Well, we can't all have a beta's instincts!" she snapped, though a slight answering grin played about her dark lips. "You're lucky you aren't territorial!"

The mossy boy just laughed, a twinkle in his olive-green eyes.

"At least you don't have to deal with the overarching urge to turn everything into a lesson!" he jibed back. Enseki paused, mulling that over, then winked.

"I dunno, I think I'd rather annoy your pointed ears into round ones with a verbal barrage rather than pounce on everyone I meet." she grinned. The mossy Kenmeinarei pouted and folded his arms over his chest, opening his mouth to retort, but Akaen cut him off with a smile.

"Kokeishi-kishou, Enseki-kishou, that's quite enough." he scolded gently. "You have all neglected the proper etiquette when an Alpha turnover occurs."

The group of fledgling Kenmeinarei spirits flinched at the reprimand, shifting sheepishly, then turned to a startled Hitsugaya and gave her quick bows, each reciting their name with the title "Unaspected" attached to the end. Then they all stared at her expectantly. She glanced up at Akaen, glaring askance at him, but he just smiled and gestured at the expectant fledglings with his red tail. So Toushiko sighed and returned the introductions with a polite dip of her head.

"Hitsugaya Toushiko, Unaspected." she said. Then she paused. "I am Tamashino Kenmeinarei, so forgive me if I am rude in any manner. I am not entirely familiar with your ways as of yet."

The others suddenly stared at her in shock, and Enseki took a shaky step forward. The light of curiosity shone in her eyes.

"I thought that the balanced Tamashino were...well, I thought they were extinct." She said bluntly. Hitsugaya lips curled sourly.

"We might as well be." she replied, anger flashing across her face again. "Every time a balanced Tamashino spirit turns up in the Soul Society, they're kidnapped by the Royal Family and their power is stolen before they can fully develop it. Then they're forced to...to contribute to the Royal Family's bloodline."

The young Kenmeinarei spirits in front of her paled, some going grey in the face. Enseki gaped in horror, her tail whiplashing about like a violent snake, and the mossy Kokeishi quailed visibly. Hitsugaya's power blazed about her in windy, blizzardly-cold white, a physical manifestation of her helpless anger, and slowly, the other Kenmeinarei came closer to her, their wings and tails flicking back and forth.

Then Enseki twined her tail with the distraught ice-wielder's, her dragon-wings rustling.

"You are going to do something about this." she stated quietly. And Hitsugaya's face darkened to cold clarity.

"Yes." she said, her voice like chips of ice. "I will challenge the Royal Family. I will call for the Trial of Two Blades. And I will return the shattered sword, Kyoka Suigetsu, to her rightful wielder."

Enseki tipped her head to the side, then bowed her head.

"If that is your intent, then we will do all we can to help." she pledged, her voice solemn. Hitsugaya gaped at her in surprise, the startled light in her green eyes glowing with unnatural vigor.

"I don't understand..." she murmured. Enseki's expression hardened with sudden determination, and as one, all of the fledgling Kenmeinarei spirits knelt and bowed their heads before the young woman. Hitsugaya stared.

"You subdued me and became our leading Alpha!" Enseki said, her voice firm. "Your will is superior to anyone weaker than you! We are honor-bound to follow your command, Hitsugaya-sama. And we have a duty to protect all of our kindred, Tamashino or otherwise. If you wish to ascend to rule over Seireitei and take Death as your Aspect, then command us to aid you, and we will obey!"

Toushiko looked at the group of the fledgling Kenmeinarei spirits, realization dawning in her eyes. The tiara upon her soaked head glinted in the dimming light, and an inner glow seemed to shine through the green of her eyes.

"You are my pack." she whispered to herself. "My flock."

Enseki looked up at her with a fierce grin. In the background, Akaen's chest swelled with pride, his orange eyes narrowing to thin slits as his lips twisted up to reveal white teeth and strong fangs.

"So command us." Enseki said. And Hitsugaya's mouth curled into a hardened smirk.

The Royal Family wouldn't stand a chance with the Kenmeinarei on her side.

* * *

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

 **Side note: just finished reading & watching FMA. HOLY CRAP the anime is different from the manga...**


	30. Crack and Shatter (Reunion Reprise)

**Hello! Aizen's decided to show his face again...**

 **My poll on who you lot think has found Hitsugaya's little Muken sketch has the following results, and at least SOME of you are right!**

 **Kurosaki Ichigo: 33%**

 **Kuchiki Byakuya: 25%**

 **Kira Izuru: 16%**

 **Hinamori Momo: 8%**

 **Kotetsu Isane: 8%**

 **Ukitake Jushiro: 8%**

 **Matsumoto Rangiku, Kuchiki Rukia, Unohana Retsu, Hirako Shinji & Soifon: 0%**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Reporting, Soifon-taicho!"

The petite Onmitsukido commander shifted her stance slightly to acknowledge the black-clad man kneeling behind her. Only a thin strip of his face showed, revealing dark blue eyes with a watery, harmless quality to them that Soifon deeply appreciated. This was her best spy. His specialty was plain-clothes observation - watching in plain sight. He could blend into a crowd like nobody she'd ever known. His eyes were light enough to be blue when they needed to look blue and dark enough to be black when they needed to look black, and his hair was light enough to look brown yet dark enough to look black. He fit everywhere, with almost every nationality, and seemed unassuming and quiet enough to not attract attention.

He was perfect for trailing a suspect captain without them ever noticing.

"...Permission to speak." she said coldly, and the man behind her promptly began his report. It wasn't very long.

"...Hitsugaya-taicho was in Urahara's secret chamber in Sokyoku Hill all day?" she asked in disbelief. "That's it?"

The man behind her nodded.

"Yes, Captain." he said grimly. "However, after a few hours of waiting, I approached the location Hitsugaya-taicho disappeared inside of and found that a barrier had been erected. I returned to search the area after Hitsugaya-taicho had gone home. I found nothing. No traces of reiatsu save for the faint residue left by a barrier, no sign of training damage...nothing. I do not understand what Hitsugaya-taicho was doing there."

Soifon stared out the window, recalling the paper with Aizen's sealing formulas littered all over it's surface. Her eyes narrowed, a smirk suddenly curling her lips. It was a wild guess, and there still didn't seem to be any clear motivation, but if her intuition was correct then the evidence gathered could either clear the young captain's name...or condemn them to Muken.

"...I think I know someone who might be able to tell what Hitsugaya was doing." the Onmitsukido commander said finally. "Get me Kurotsuchi…and ask for his analysis of the techniques used to free Aizen."

* * *

"Owwww...babe, that hurts..."

"Oh, quit whining." Toushiko sighed, exasperation in her voice. It had been two weeks since she had discovered that she was the North Star in the forest with Akaen, and the search for Aizen's accomplices had been fruitless - as expected. A Captain and Lieutenant Meeting was going to be held in the First Division's central courtyard later that day - the location had to be changed because, for the first time, the Royal Family, the Royal Guard, and the top two layers of seated officers from each division were required to be present. After all, Aizen had been missing for nearly a month now, and yet there had been no sign of his presence anywhere. The hole in Seireitei's walls was almost fully repaired, there had been no spike in Hollow activity in the World of the Living, and even Hueco Mundo was quiet. It was putting Yamamoto on edge.

But for the moment, all was well. And Toushiko planned for it to stay that way for a few more days. Kotabiki and Reiiyasu were making steady progress with Aizen, and with just a little bit more time he'd be stable enough to fight by her side without her having to worry that he'd skid off the deep end the way he had when he'd tried to make the King's Key with the souls of Karakura Town.

She returned her attention to her whining boyfriend, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Ichigo - hopeless, clueless, oblivious Ichigo - had been chasing her around her house like the idiot he was when she'd thrown a pillow at his face and he'd ran blindly into a chair, tripping over it spectacularly and busting his head open on the corner of the coffee table in her living room. Now she was patching him back together.

"Shiraaaa..."

"Oh my god, Ichigo, this scrape is barely an inch long and you've nearly been cut in half. Shut up and let me heal it."

"...I wanna kiss."

"For the love of- Mmmf!"

Toushiko sighed against Ichigo's mouth, allowing him to kiss her in his usual citrus manner, their lips brushing gently. Never let it be said that the carrot-top was a stranger to awkward romance. But that was okay with her. She rather liked his blunt manner.

They broke apart after a short moment, smiling at each other. Toushiko laughed softly at herself, wondering how on earth she'd fallen for the brown-eyed goofball grinning at her with a bleeding scrape on his brow. Then she shook her head, her now-shoulder-length white hair falling in a messy fringe about her haori-clad shoulders.

"God, remind me why I love you again?" she sighed, once again raising her hands to the bleeding scratch on Ichigo's forehead. The substitute shinigami froze, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Say that again." he demanded suddenly. Toushiko blinked.

"Hm?" she mumbled, confused, and Ichigo crept forward and cupped her face in his hands.

"Say it again." he breathed, and with startling clarity Toushiko understood what the carrot-top was referring to. She went a rosy-gold shade of embarrassment.

"...I love you." she murmured quietly, refusing to meet Ichigo's gaze. Ichigo let out a breathless, awed laugh.

"That's the first time you've said that to me." he whispered. Hitsugaya went even redder in the face.

"...I-it's not that big of a deal." she huffed out, turning haughtily away from the substitute sitting on her living room floor, but Ichigo drew her back to face him gently.

"Oh, it's a big deal to me." he said sincerely. Toushiko went pink again, then quickly raised her hands to her boyfriend's forehead again, blocking out his grinning face as her hands started to glow green.

"Oh, shut up."

It took a few seconds for the cut on Ichigo's forehead to heal, but just after the the skin knitted back together, a soft, nervous tapping came on the door. Toushiko and Ichigo paused, puzzled by the soft rap. Rukia was now comfortable enough with the young captain to simply barge in like Rangiku, and Momo usually let out a cheerful greeting pitched just perfectly enough to bounce through the hallways of Toushiko's home. And any of Hitsugaya's subordinates wouldn't be so nervous when knocking on her door.

Slowly, the young captain stood up, the faint trace of reiatsu leaking through her front door vaguely familiar, but yet she couldn't place it. Ichigo glanced up at her in confusion, and she shrugged her shoulders - she hadn't been expecting visitors. But she went to get the door anyway.

Hazel eyes and wavy brown hair greeted her, the long brown locks pulled up into a traditional topknot. Prince Yuuma Oshiro stood nervously on her doorstep.

Hitsugaya went a shade of unnatural pale gold and immediately dropped to one knee.

"Your Highness! I did not expect-"

"Shh! Can I come in?" Yuuma cut her off in midsentence, looking around frantically. He looked harried. Hitsugaya tried not to raise an eyebrow at the younger soul, but it slid up her face anyway.

"Of course." she said, wary bafflement in her tone, and she moved aside to let the prince in. Aizen's son slipped inside in a flash of green, shutting the door behind him as quickly as he dared. Then he looked up at the young woman, something like fear in his eyes.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya-taicho-san." he said, his voice trembling. "My mother doesn't know I'm here, and I'd prefer for it to stay that way. Is anyone else here?"

Suddenly, Ichigo poked his head out of the living room, eyes shining.

"Hey, Shira, who was it...hm? Who's the kid?"

Yuuma's face tightened, hazel eyes widening in fear, his pale skin turning white in his distress. Toushiko glanced between Ichigo and the prince in her entrance hall in steadily increasing panic.

"I'm nobody." Yuuma said quickly, too quickly, his voice quivering. "Nobody. I'm just...a messenger. To Hitsugaya-taicho-san."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, but Yuuma had grabbed Toushiko's wrist in his smaller hand and pulled her into the kitchen, causing the substitute to follow hurriedly. Without a second thought, the young prince put up a powerful barrier around the three of them, the surface humming with reiatsu. Only then did he relax somewhat, though he still looked frightened. Hitsugaya stared down at him, noting absently that the boy was only a few inches shorter than her.

But then without any prior warning the boy prince burst into tears and dropped to his knees.

"I'm sorry!" he cried, sobbing into his hands. "I-I didn't mean to...It was just an accident! I-I didn't k-know...un-until..."

Toushiko quickly knelt down beside the hysterical prince, clasping the young boy's shoulder without a second thought as to his status. Her eyes were large, trepidation simmering in the emerald depths.

"Hey, shhh." she said, her voice brisk but infinitely gentle. "What happened?"

Yuuma lifted his head, eyes red-rimmed.

"Your...your lieutenant...after th-the criminal man's escape..." he whimpered. "I...I thanked all the captains wh-who defended me and my family, but y-you were still unconscious, so I talked t-to your lieutenant...a-and she kept calling you a 'she'...and I mentioned th-that to the Queen..."

He burst into tears again, but now Toushiko wasn't able to summon up the courage to even try to comfort the boy before her. All the color had drained from her face, her pupils dilating in unadulterated fear. Suddenly her hand snapped back to Hyourinmaru's hilt, the dragon thrashing with anger and terror in her soul, the Deep-magic irrevocably bonding them to the fabric of the world stirring in potent preparation. She wasn't ready for this. Not yet. Aizen had been making progress, and her abilities with the Deep-Magic were growing stronger day by day, but she still felt unprepared and weak.

Yuuma calmed enough to speak for another moment.

"A-and th-then m-my Zanpakutou...Kagamihana Mizutsuki, told m-me a-about my real f-father...and...and t-told me wh-what happens t-to p-people like y-you...and...and I couldn't just...They're __evil!__ And...they t-took my f-father's Zanpakutou...a-and...and r-ripped her away...and g-gave her t-to me!"

He burst into tears again, sobbing into Hitsugaya's haori. And then lightning struck, a thunderclap of determination bursting into her brain. Icefire blazed in her soul, courage roaring thunder in her heart, and she stood. She knew the protocol for declaring a challenge by heart. She knew her path. She knew her strength.

Hesitation was for the uncertain, for the weak who didn't believe in their own cause.

And dragons didn't hesitate.

"It's alright, Yuuma-kun." she said, her expression hardening with cold flame. "Thank you for warning me. But I've got this under control."

Ichigo looked up at her, incredulous fear in his gaze.

"Toushiro, you can't stand up to the Royal Family alone!" he cried. "Every shinigami in Seireitei will have to attack you if there's an order!"

Toushiko smiled a small, apologetic smile.

"I'm not alone, Ichigo." she said, her voice soft. "And my name is Toushiko now. I switched out the last character."

The substitute stood, gaping in shock, tears standing in his eyes.

"I won't lose you." he said, grieving fury in his voice. "I won't let those bastards take you."

Toushiko cocked a lopsided grin. It was time to trust her boyfriend. It was time to trust all of her friends. Slowly, she knelt back down and guided an arm around Yuuma's shaking shoulders.

"They won't take me, I swear." she promised. "Now...there's something I have to tell you. Will you get Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia for me, please? I need...I need to tell this to all of you at once."

The carrot-top nodded shakily, then dove down for a bruising, passionate kiss. Before Toushiko knew exactly what was happening, his tongue had slipped past her teeth, fully taking control of the kiss, and she melted into the citrus sweetness. But then the substitute pulled back, fire in his eyes, and she sat back and just looked at him, dazed by the heat of the brief joining of their mouths. That was first time he'd kissed her like that, and somehow she found herself pleasantly dizzy in the aftermath

"I won't let any overbearing bastard mess with my girlfriend." he practically snarled. "And I've fought all of the Gotei 13 once. I'd do it again to keep you safe."

Toushiko struggled to smile at that, a knowing glint of regret in her eyes.

"...I hope you won't regret saying that." she murmured quietly. Then her stare cleared. "Go, Ichigo. And the day I need you to protect me is the day I start hating watermelon."

Ichigo laughed, short and fierce, then ducked out of the barrier and disappeared in a flash of Shunpo. Yuuma watched him go with teary eyes.

"They'll kill him." the young boy whispered. "Just for loving you."

Toushiko shook her head, a rueful grin surfacing on her pretty face.

"Nah, he's too stupid to die." she said fondly. "Now, Yuuma, I have a question for you - if I asked you to, for lack of a better term, join me, help me escape from your parents...would you?"

Yuuma looked up at her, pain shining in his kind hazel eyes. His pale little face was red and blotchy with tears.

"Y-yes." he whispered. "Hitsugaya-taicho-san...I-I c-can't...n-not when I-I caused m-my father...I can't st-stay..."

Toushiko felt pride swell in her heart, a genuine smile lighting her face.

"It's okay." she soothed, hugging the child the same way that Hyourinmaru had held her in their inner world when she was younger. "You don't have to stay. I'll take you to see your real father, and we can try to give him his Zanpakutou back. He's on my side."

With fumbling fingers, Yuuma unbuckled the watery-green blade from his side and held it out wordlessly.

"Please..." he whispered. "I...I don't want to be part of that family..."

Hitsugaya took the sealed sword reverently, the agonized thrum of Kyoka Suigetsu's power in the silver blade beating beneath her fingertips. She could feel the pulsing reiatsu humming, trapped and tortured, in the unfamiliar Asauchi. A soft sigh escaped her, sorrow for the torment of the the separated spirit and its wielder. And then she raised her head and locked eyes with the young prince.

"You don't have to be. Come. Let's go see your father." she said, her voice strong. Wind whirled about her vaguely-pointed ears and frost-tipped fingertips, her bluesilver-tinged hand outstretched. And Yuuma, heartbroken by the heartlessness of his royal relatives, took the young woman's hand without the slightest hesitation.

* * *

The ice-tinged portal materialized in Akaen's cave, the dappled werelights casting the dark stone into warm, welcoming relief. Yuuma took a deep breath as he stepped through, eyes popping open in shock.

"This is my King's realm!" he exclaimed in surprise, his tears drying on his cheeks. Toushiko flashed him a small smile of approval, still holding the younger boy's hand in her own cool palm.

"So it is." she said, amusement flashing in her stare. "Just a much different part of it."

In her hand, Kyoka Suigetsu's sheathed pseudo-blade hummed weakly, trying to reach out and connect with her shinigami. Toushiko shot the sword a sympathetic glance, then gently led Yuuma from the cave, her waraji tapping softly on the stone floor. The pair emerged from the dimmer shadows into the large, open cavern with the green meadow in its midst after only a short while, blinking rapidly to adjust their eyes to the light. But when their gaze focused, Kotabiki stood in front of them, her golden eyes and golden hair swirling about her tall, muscular frame. Yuuma gaped, red flushing his cheeks at the sight of the scantily-clad Kenmeinarei spirit.

Kotabiki leaned down and sniffed the boy's wavy brown hair, then gently ran a finger over the Zanpakutou held carefully in the white-haired captain's hand.

"Oh, I know who this one belongs to!" she said brightly. "Toushiko-kishou, you found the dear little phoenix!"

In the circle of grass, a brunette man looked up with a frown of annoyance, irked that his therapeutic 'emotion-practice' with Reiiyasu had been interrupted. He caught Hitsugaya's eye with a cruel sneer, but she just shook her head at him, well aware that he was indeed trying to heal as best as he could.

"This boy." the young captain said simply, gently pushing Yuuma forward a pace. "He is the prince that the Royal Family chose to wield her. But when he found out about the truth...he chose to help his father instead. He came to me to warn me that the Royal Family knows about me now."

Kotabiki looked at the still-flushed Yuuma with gentle interest, her expression warm, and she knelt down to better look the young teenager in the face.

"I wish to know if this is true." she said quietly. Yuuma hesitated, then nodded once, staring at the Kenmeinarei spirit in front of him in silent awe and fear. The tear tracks on his face were still damp. But then Kotabiki smiled widely, grateful tears standing in her golden eyes, and she reached out and took the young prince's pale hands in hers. He stood stock still, not daring to breathe, and turned a helpless gaze upon his smiling escort.

"You have been very, very brave, little hatchling." the female Kenmeinarei spirit said in a soft murmur, her tattoos shimmering. "And you have done something incredibly noble. We cannot thank you enough."

Yuuma blinked, not expecting the heartfelt response, then shook his head, hands trembling.

"I-I didn't d-do much." he protested weakly. "I-I just-"

"You are giving a man half of his soul back, Yuuma-kun." Toushiko interjected, her voice both firm but kind in the same breath. "Don't you dare belittle that."

The young prince looked up at her, searching, then smiled for the first time, contented relief in his expression.

"You...are you going to call for the Trial of Two Blades, Hitsugaya-taicho-san?" he asked quietly. Hitsugaya inclined her head once, and he let out a long sigh, rubbing at his red-rimmed hazel eyes. A soft, choked chuckle escaped from his lips.

"Good." he whispered. "...you'll...you'll be a good queen."

Toushiko's expression went soft, feeling oddly touched for some reason. She had already known that she would at least be competent because of her administrative experience in the Tenth if she managed to take the throne, but somehow hearing her efforts validated by this young man had helped soothe her worries immensely.

"Thank you, Yuuma-kun." she replied. Then she turned and smiled faintly at the approaching former captain, ignoring his blank stare of cold disinterest in favor of ushering the young man by her side forward. Yuuma hesitantly took a step towards Aizen, gazing up at him with dawning realization in his clear hazel eyes. Toushiko smiled.

"Aizen, meet your son, Yuuma." she said softly.

The traitorous man's face contorted, pain and bewilderment flashing across his usually emotionless mask. He shuddered, staring at the child in front of him with trembling hands and wide eyes. Slowly, a cracked smile started to creep over the distorted, raw emotion upon his face.

"I'm warm..." he murmured absently, reaching out with a shaking hand to caress his child's pale cheek. Yuuma stood forlornly in front of his father, absorbing every detail of the tall man's wan face. The two were not identical - Yuuma's face was a little narrower, his chin wasn't quite as square, and his eyes were also rounder in shape - but their coloring was so exceedingly similar that if one took only a fleeting glance, they could be mistaken for clones.

Reiiyasu approached with a cautious nod, overhearing Aizen's comment.

"Do you know what emotion it is?" he asked gently. Aizen's eyes suddenly started to water.

"I have a son." he said abruptly, his voice breathless. "I...I know this feeling."

Toushiko locked eyes with the man she'd freed from his prison, willing him silently to connect with the shards of kindness he still had inside him, but it seemed that her unspoken pleas were unnecessary. For merely a split second after the thought entered her mind, the former mastermind slowly stretched out his arms and wrapped them around his child's torso, hugging the boy close. His expression was blatantly open, bafflement, grief, joy, and wild excitement creeping across the once-cold face. Toushiko felt her heart soar as the two embraced each other, a teary grin on the younger's face, and beside her she could sense Reiiyasu and Kotabiki smiling.

The Deep-magic thrummed in her heart, and slowly, acting almost entirely upon instinct, she released the three Lotus seals on her collarbone. Then, power humming like wintry sleet over her skin, she took Kyoka Suigetsu's false blade in her hands and wrenched the metal down. Brittle, breakable steel snapped in half, a wave of reflective, glasslike power rushing out from the snapped halves of the broken blade, and Toushiko summoned all of her magical reserves to coax the spirit from the sword. Filigree patterns of icy bluewhite magic swirled from her fingertips, linking father to son by the hands, hearts, and heads. Both Sousuke and Yuuma turned wide eyes upon her, then on the snapped sword in her palms.

"Yuuma, call her name and release her, one last time." Toushiko asked, her eyes alight with power. The young prince looked at her, then looked up at his father with a nervous, excited grin.

"Reflect, Kagamihana Mizutsuki." he called out, his voice strong. Wisps of glassy silver drifted from where Toushiko's spell touched his skin, but the spirit herself did not emerge. Yuuma blanched, not understanding why the spell had stalled.

"Sousuke, call her!" Toushiko shouted above the swelling thrum of the musical drumbeat ringing in her ears. Wind spun around her, tugging at her shihakusho, and she winced. The Deep-magic was nigh uncontrollable in her shinigami form, and her muscles and soul ached from the strain of controlling it so thoroughly. But Aizen Sousuke, ever the clever one, suddenly breathed a sigh of understanding and bent his head.

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu!"

And the sky went white.

Yuuma howled with laughter as enormous wings made of glasslike slivers of reflective light burst from his soul and shot into the air, singing brilliantly. He clapped his hands together.

"Go, Kagamihana! Go home!" he cheered, still laughing that brilliant laugh, and as the enormous phoenix wheeled around in the sky, Toushiko called on the wind to guide the bewildered, weakened spirit around to face her soul-partner. Aizen dropped to his knees as Kyoka Suigetsu's gleaming green eyes focused on his face, and then with a shriek of overwhelming joy the spirit flew straight into her master's heart.

Glassy reiatsu burst from Aizen's skin, whirling streaks of true green flowing through his hair and whirling about his tall body. His hazel eyes were alight, wide in spiritual shock as his soul was gently pieced back together. Toushiko fell back, her winter Deep-magic dropping from the air, and Kyoka Suigetsu's power crescendoed up in a sparkle of mirrorlike dust. A soft, musical cry echoed hauntingly in the air. And then the reiatsu died down, leaving the former captain kneeling on the stone of the cave floor, eyes wide, his hands on his heart.

"She's back..." he whispered, tears in his eyes. A genuine smile broke out across his face, the cold cruelty evaporating like dew in the sunlight, and suddenly whatever block had been on his emotions shattered. He started crying in earnest despite the overcome smile on his thawing features, wrapping his arms around himself. Yuuma, a numb smile on his young face, knelt down and tentatively placed a hand upon his father's shoulder.

Aizen looked up, warmth rooted deep in his beatific smile, and slowly hooked his hands behind his son's head, pulling the younger boy's hair out of his topknot so that it fell around the young man's shoulders in a light, wavy fringe. He laughed weakly.

"My god, I have a son!"

Then he was laughing and sobbing uncontrollably, enthusiastically standing up and swinging Yuuma around, hands clasped tight behind his child's shoulder blades. There was light breaking through the muddied haze of hazel in his eyes. Yuuma yelped in surprise, then also started laughing, hugging the unfamiliar man before him and embracing the ecstatic former captain as his family, tears washing down the young face.

Toushiko, Kotabiki, and Reiiyasu watched peacefully as parent and child truly met each other for the first time. Then Aizen stopped and set the boy on his feet, breathless with unadulterated joy. He set the boy back on his feet, curiosity written all over his face.

"You saved my soul." he told Yuuma, the salty tear tracks on his cheeks glistening wetly. "How can I thank you?"

Yuuma met his father's gaze with a hesitant smile.

"Well, um...could I call you Otou-san?" he asked nervously. "I've never been allowed to called the King and Queen Otou-san or Okaa-san, so-"

"You can call me whatever you want, kiddo." Aizen agreed, looking touched by the boy's outreach. "My name, though, is Aizen Sousuke. What's your name?"

Yuuma laughed.

"I'm Yuuma!" he said brightly. "Nice to meet you, Otou-san!"

Sousuke grinned like an idiot, ruffling his son's long brown hair with a wry look. Then he lifted his head and gazed straight into Toushiko's emerald stare. She cocked an eyebrow at him, the corner of her lips quirking, and watched as slow horror passed across Aizen's pale face.

"Oh hell." he whispered, the sudden impact of his previous actions slamming his newfound sense of kindness and guilt hard. "Hitsugaya-sama...everything I did..."

"It's fine, Aizen." Hitsugaya sighed, her lips twitching up. "I told you down in Muken, didn't I? I understand now. And now you understand too."

Sousuke gaped at her for a solid minute before indignation passed across his face.

"But...what I did to you! What I did to Hinamori-kun!" he exclaimed. "You shouldn't __be__ forgiving me for that!"

Toushiko's glare turned to ice, her reiatsu spiraling around her.

"Shut up, you bastard." she snapped, eyes narrowing. "Do I look like I give a damn about what you say?! I would've done the same goddamn thing if it had been Hyourinmaru who had been taken from me! I __understand__ why you were like that - you were insane! That's enough for me - it should be enough for you!"

Aizen blinked rapidly, and Toushiko took a step forward, her expression softening.

"Sousuke-kun." she said, her tone much gentler now. "You have a son, you have Kyoka Suigetsu back, and moreover, you feel regret for what you did. I forgive you. Now take back the power that was yours! Call her name and prove to me that you can stand at my side when I call for you."

Her words seemed to light the fire in Aizen's piercing hazel eyes, his determination rising to mask his horror. He reached out, light materializing in his hand, and grasped a long, slender blade identical to the Kyoka Suigetsu that Toushiko was used to seeing - with one difference. The hilt was mirrored, so that it seemed nearly invisible when viewed from the correct angle. His brows knitted together, and then he gently covered Yuuma's eyes with his free hand as the reflective blade fragmented like a broken mirror.

"Mirror the shards of the soul! Kyoka Suigetsu!"

* * *

 **So? Whatcha think? Moving kinda fast from here on! :)**


	31. Trust Fall

**A/N: Warning: Ichigo being angry and using naughty language. Don't be like Ichigo. (Seriously though, he just drops the f-bomb. Once)**

 **Anyhow - enjoy!**

* * *

Ichigo cautiously slid open the door to his girlfriend's home, unnerved by the silence. Close behind him were Momo, Rangiku, and Rukia, all puzzled by the sudden summons and baffled by the secrecy. The four carefully slipped inside the airy entryway, toeing their shoes off at the door and peeking into the various rooms of Hitsugaya's home until the conclusion hit them.

No one was there. Yuuma and Toushiko had both vanished, as if into thin air.

The group collapsed into the living room couches and chairs, bewildered by Hitsugaya's disappearance - with one exception. With a shock of realization, Ichigo clapped a hand over his mouth. He'd left his girlfriend alone with a member of the Royal Family. __After__ she'd been warned that the family knew of her transgender orientation. He shot to his feet, heart racing. How long had he been gone? Thirty minutes? An hour? But there was no sign of a struggle. Could the girl have been taken by surprise? She must have been, otherwise her reiatsu would have spiked - but the kid __had__ put up a barrier to hide his reiatsu...

"Damn it!" he swore, agony in his voice. "Goddammit...I left her alone...!"

Momo and Rangiku looked up at him in confusion, and the bubblier of the two raised her hand in bafflement.

"Left Taicho alone? With who?" she asked, frowning. Ichigo stared at her, at the lack of comprehension on her face alerting him to the truth.

"With the little prince kid - Yuuma." he whispered. "And...and he knew she was transgender."

Momo and Rangiku exchanged confused looks, but Rukia gasped, all the color draining from her face. She also shot to her feet.

"Ichigo, when was this?" she asked, her voice low and grim. The carrot-top grimaced, his fists tightening, and checked the clock on the wall

"Forty-five minutes ago." he bit out. Rukia's face darkened.

"We might still be able to rescue her." she said, her expression fierce. Ichigo just looked at her, ignoring the confusion of Momo and Rangiku for the moment.

"You might have to turn traitor." he warned. Rukia's amethyst glare hardened.

" _ _You__ might lose your family's privileges to move back to Soul Society and put the entire Shiba clan at risk! And you'll be risking something that Toushiro won't __want__ you to risk!" she snapped. "But like it or not, Toushiro is under the protection of the Kuchiki clan! My brother specifically requested of me that I stand at Toushiro's side should she be attacked. He's not sure if he'll be able to openly revolt without destroying the 6th Division."

Suddenly, Momo cut in with a sharp bark of rarely-heard authority that had everyone falling silent immediately.

"Enough!" she spat. "What the hell is going on?!"

Quickly, self-loathing in his eyes, Ichigo explained the situation, pausing at odd moments to allow Rukia to interject additional details. By the end of their brief explication, the two women closest to the ice captain were like ghosts, eyes huge in their faces. Momo swayed a bit.

"She...she didn't tell me..." the girl gasped, and Ichigo shook his head, pain in his eyes.

"She barely told me about it." he grimaced. "She said she didn't want to say anything to me until she had a plan."

Rangiku picked up on the qualifier immediately, crossing her legs and leaning back against the sofa.

"But she told you." she said shrewdly. "Which means that she had a plan."

The other three paused, considering that, when suddenly a bored voice came from the doorway.

"Yes, yes, I have a plan. And my name is Toushiko now - I'm changing the last character." Hitsugaya drawled from where she was leaning against the doorframe, Yuuma tucked neatly under a carelessly draped arm. She seemed relaxed, a confident arrogance evident upon her lips, and yet she stayed alert, her muscles strangely tense. The prince next to her was busy playing with a lock of his wavy brown hair, curious now that it wasn't forced into a stiff topknot.

The four in Toushiko's living room shot to their feet - or at least half of them did. The relief on their faces was like a ray of sunshine after a heavy rain. Rukia put her fingers to her temples, sighing, and Momo rushed to her sister's side, gripping the curvy young woman by the shoulders and shaking her.

"You! Why didn't you tell me about the Royal Family?!" she shouted in a hoarse whisper, unwilling to attract any more attention to her sister. "Why didn't you tell us at the Captains' and Lieutenants' meeting that you knew it was you?! We could have tried to protect you!"

Hitsugaya sighed, gently brushing Hinamori's hands from her shoulders, the resolve on her face unmistakable.

"Momo, if the Royal Family gives an order, the captains and lieutenants must follow it." the young woman reminded her sister with a wry smile. "I would not be safe if I had come out then. Yamamoto-soutaicho and the other senior captains - Kuchiki included - have been covering for me. They know of my intent to challenge for the throne of Seireitei, so they've been giving me time to build up my power."

Matsumoto and Hinamori glanced at each other, and the bustier of the two leaned forward, her chest bouncing.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho covered for you, Taicho?" she asked, puzzled. The youngest of the captains nodded once, her snowy hair glistening. A small, sour smile curled her pink lips in a nasty smirk.

"Yes - he and the others are claiming ignorance, though I don't entirely understand their motive." she said. "But anyway, that's beside the point. If the Royal Family knows about me, then there's no reason for me hiding things at the meeting. After today, I'll be a traitor. Yuuma here has decided to keep quiet for me."

There was a short silence from the four in her living room as they all stared,first at Toushiko, then at Yuuma, and then back at the icy captain in front of them. Hinamori slowly shook her head.

"Toushiro- Toushiko," she corrected hesitantly, "I don't think that Seireitei can take another traitor right now, not when...when that monster Aizen is still on the loose. C-couldn't you just...vanish? We could fake your disappearance..."

At that, Hitsugaya snorted, a slightly bitter smile tinging her face. Yuuma, still tucked beneath her arm, scowled angrily at the sweet lieutenant, his hazel eyes narrowing.

"Don't you __dare__ talk about my Otou-san like that!" he spat out. The coldness on his face suddenly twisted, his father's unmistakable features shining through, and as one the group of four in Hitsugaya's living room saw the young prince's lineage. Matsumoto's eyes widened, her mouth falling open, and the other three went stark white in shock.

"Your...father...?" Momo murmured, her chocolate eyes round like marbles and just as glassy. "What..."

"Momo, Aizen Sousuke is my predecessor." Toushiko said quietly, her voice soft. "Kyoka Suigetsu is a royal-blooded Zanpakutou, as is Hyourinmaru. The Royal Family found him when he was a first year student at the Shinou Academy - and he was never the same after that. Yuuma here was conceived because of Aizen and bore Kyoka Suigetsu's stolen spirit in an Asauchi blade."

The air was so still that it felt dead. Ichigo suddenly took a step back in realization, disbelief filling his warm, honey-brown eyes. He shook his head miserably, looking betrayed - looking lost.

"No way...I __trusted__ you." he breathed out, staring, his hand twitching toward his Zanpakutou. "Toushiko, I trusted you!"

"You said you trusted me to do what I thought was right!" she responded in an urgent bark, allowing her vulnerability to show on her face. She knew that she was turning pale, that the gold tone was draining from her skin, but try as she might to control it, the dawning hatred and fury in her boyfriend's eyes was terrifying her.

"I didn't think you'd free a madman!" he spat out, drawing Zangetsu. Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia stiffened, horror creeping over their faces as Toushiko allowed the accusation to stand. They were also beginning to understand what Ichigo had realized.

Slowly, Toushiko nudged Yuuma behind her, shielding him with her body, and she took a very deliberate step away from Ichigo, a pleading expression on her paling face.

"Ichigo, __I had no choice.__ You think I __wanted__ to set him loose after what he'd done to my __sister__?" she said, her fingers drifting towards her collarbone and the three lotus seals hidden beneath her clothing.

"You __did__ have a choice, Toushiko, don't __give__ me that fucking bullshit! You chose to destroy __everything__ that everyone nearly died to protect in order to gain power - __just like Aizen!__ " he snarled. But Zangetsu's point stayed low, his hand trembling visibly, tears standing in the corners of his betrayed eyes, and Toushiko knew that she still had a chance.

"Ichigo, he was __insane__. He wanted Kyoka Suigetsu back, and the __only__ way for him to get her back was for him to try and challenge the Royal Family, but without the power of a royal-blooded Zanpakutou his right to the Trial of Two Blades was null and void! And - goddammit Ichigo, he's not a shinigami! __I'm__ not a shinigami! We're Tamashino Kenmeinarei - human spirits bonded with immortal spirits of the natural world! When were lose our Zanpakutou, __we lose our souls!__ " she finally broke, her eyes watering. Zangetsu's tip dropped a little lower, Ichigo's warm heart wavering at the sight of the genuine panic and agony on his petite girlfriend's face. And she pressed it, trying desperately to get him to understand before her actions entirely severed their bond.

"Hyourinmaru's has been forced to watch __every single one__ of my previous reincarnations turn into obedient, mindless, emotionless slaves of the Royal Family. Kyoka Suigetsu has had to watch __every single one__ of Aizen's reincarnations become raving, coldhearted bastards without a speck of kindness in them. When Aizen lost Kyoka Suigetsu, he lost the ability to feel kindness. If I lost Hyourinmaru, I'd lose my ability to feel anything - I'd turn into a doll! I couldn't...I couldn't just let him __suffer__ when everything is the Royal Family's goddamn fault in the first place!"

Her breathing was ragged, she realized, her mind somewhat detached from her body. And Ichigo's hands weren't the only ones shaking. Yuuma's thin arms snaked around her torso, his head pressing gently into her shoulder as he tried to offer emotional support. Toushiko absently settled her hand into his hair, eyes still watering with held-back tears. Ichigo, Momo, Rukia, and Rangiku were silent, watching with the beginnings of understanding in their eyes. The young captain took a slow, shaky breath, trying to compose herself behind her typical wall of ice.

"I...I'm not trying to destroy Seireitei." she murmured softly. "I swear that on my soul. I just...I needed someone who I wouldn't be hurting by asking them to help me turn traitor, and Aizen...Aizen has the same reason to attack the Royal Family that I do. And...And I'm stronger than him. Even if he was still unstable...I would have been able to kill him."

Momo blinked at that declaration.

"Sh-shiro-chan, what are you t-talking about?" she asked nervously, her brown eyes still wide and frightened as she stared at her sister. "Ai-Aizen almost killed you!"

Toushiko lifted her head, emerald stare slowly turning from frightened to fierce. She straightened up, stiffened her spine to stand at nearly full attention.

"And he will not ever come close again." she said grimly. "My reiatsu is currently severely restricted by three successive seals. My maximum output with these Gentei Kaijo on is both Captain level and less than .01 percent of my maximum reiatsu - and if you were wondering, yes, I'm currently wearing the seals. My max is so high that it would either kill you or be undetectable."

The four went white in shock, and Rukia took a half-step away, her face pale.

"Less than...a percent...is Captain-level? How...?" she breathed, staring at her friend. Hitsugaya shrugged, still absently tousling Yuuma's hair.

"It has to be that high." she said, her tone turning contemplative. "Otherwise...well, suffice to say it's a complex explanation. Shinigami who wield royal-blooded Zanpakutou are essentially half-Kenmeinarei, and the Kenmeinarei maintain the balance of the natural world around us. They are the living personifications of Aspects - which are elements of physical, emotional, and spiritual world around us - and they use incredibly powerful magic. My reiatsu has to be able to reinforce my spirit when I reach for that magic, otherwise my soul will be ripped to pieces."

There was a simultaneous blink from all four of the shinigami in the room as the explanation whizzed right over their heads. Momo tipped her head to the side, piecing the complex idea together.

"So...basically you're half-god?" she asked uncertainly, and Hitsugaya paused. Hyourinmaru purred in amusement in her chest, his cool laughter spreading from the tips of her barely-pointed ears all the way down her calves to her sturdy, small feet.

"Um...I guess?" she answered hesitantly, her nose wrinkling up in dislike. Rukia jumped back into the conversation, slowly reaching back for her Zanpakutou as well.

"So you're a demigod. And Aizen is weaker than you, so you can control him. So you're therefore using him to cause chaos in Seireitei while you're attacking the Royal Family?" the young lieutenant asked, a soft catch in her words. Her tone was cautious - she was clearly under the impression that Hitsugaya wasn't in her right mind. Toushiko sighed.

"No, Rukia." she said quietly. "I will not attack the Royal Family - I will not cause chaos in Seireitei. I will call for the Trial of Two Blades. Hasn't your brother told you how that works?"

Rukia's violet eyes narrowed, recognizing the name. She shook her head.

"No - I've only been told that you'll be allowed to challenge for the throne." she said guardedly. Hitsugaya nodded.

"Yes - through the Trial of Two Blades." she said patiently, her tone contemplative and a little scared, the quiver in her voice palpable. "It's a duel between me and whomever the Royal Family chooses to fight for them, and it's heavily slanted in their favor. The Royal Family is allowed to choose the time, place, and precautions of the duel, as well as choose an immediate...prize, if you will. And on top of that, I need one person who is willing to vouch for me - I need an ally willing to die at my side if I lose. Anyone who supports me as a 'primary guard' will be executed on the spot if I fail."

Yuuma suddenly sprang forward, fire in his hazel eyes, his expression as fierce as a thirteen-year-old could make it.

"But you won't fail, Hitsugaya-nee-sama!" he said hotly. "My Otou-san believes that you'll overthrow them, and so do I! You fixed my Otou-san, so you can beat the King and Queen!"

Toushiko blinked, then laughed a little bit in disbelief, the young man's unshakable faith in her somewhat startling.

"Nee-sama?" she asked, amusement twitching at the corners of her cold mouth. Yuuma flushed pink, but stared up at her defiantly.

"I want to call you Onee-sama." he said firmly. "Don't try to change my mind."

Toushiko grinned at him, her white smile flashing, and she ruffled his hair again.

"Of course not, your Highness." she said, a light note of teasing in her tone that made the young prince pout. Rukia, Rangiku, and Momo stared at their friend, watching the easy interaction carefully, but only Ichigo read all the way into it. His eyes softened, and he put his Zanpakutou away.

"Hey, kid?" he called, catching Yuuma's attention. "...Does Aizen know that you're calling him Otou-san?"

Yuuma looked up at the scowling teenager, his expression mildly nervous.

"Yes." he said softly. The boy's gaze dropped, a smile lighting his face. "He's...he's my father, you see. He...he didn't know about me, and I didn't know about him. But now we know each other, and if Hitsugaya-nee-sama wins...then I'm going to be his son!"

The happiness on the boy's face was bright and genuine, and there was no mistaking the ebullient eagerness the kid so clearly felt. Ichigo felt the steel he'd been trying muster up in his heart begin to turn squishy again, the sight of Toushiko's fear-bleached skin and wavering confidence in his trust combining with the plain joy on this child's face to melt his iron will.

"You…you love your father?" he asked next, his voice quiet. Yuuma looked up at the taller teenager, his hazel eyes darkening to warm brown for a moment, ferocity crossing over his face.

"...How can I not?" he snapped testily. "He…he cried when he met me! And…and he actually lets me call him Otou-san! And after carrying Kagamihana - er, Kyoka Suigetsu - for so long before giving her back, I feel like I've known him my whole life…"

Ichigo felt a smile cross his face, understanding breaking through. His gaze found the pale glow of Toushiko's controlled panic, watching the messy tangles of her shoulder-length white hair settle around her golden face. Then he stepped forward, the bitter taste in his mouth drying up as he carefully enfolded the young woman in his arms. Toushiko's wan breath hitched, her icy walls unprepared for the warmth of love rather than the heat of hatred. Rangiku, Rukia, and Momo scraped by without letting their gasps of shock escape them, but it was close.

They all knew what this meant.

"...I told you I trusted you to do the right thing, Shira, and I meant it." he said softly. Toushiko stared past his shoulder for several seconds before she sagged, the fragile defenses she'd erected tumbling down around her ears.

"Ichigo…" she whispered, clenching her fists in his shihakusho. "God, Ichigo, I just…"

"I understand, I think." he said. Anger flickered briefly back across his brow. "I mean…I'm __pissed.__ I nearly __died__ to put the man you let loose in prison…but you did it for the right reasons. Part of me is freakin' proud that you're so resolute, but the other half wants to smack you against a wall and remind you of everything that bastard has done."

With a soft sigh, Rangiku also stepped forward, her blue eyes softening against the truth of her captain's plight.

"I think we're all in the same boat." she said quietly. "Taicho, you betrayed our trust by doing this. And I can sympathize…but you can't just expect us to get over that."

Hitsugaya made what could have been misconstrued as a laugh, but her expression was too downcast for that to be the case.

"I don't." she said with a soft sigh. "I just thought you four should know before I surprised you with it."

Rukia swallowed hard at that, still not fully comprehending her friend's reasoning.

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Why would you give us the chance to tell someone? Why would you give us the chance to turn you in?"

Hitsugaya actually did laugh at that, a smile crossing her face.

"...Because I trust you. Idiot." she rebuked, her lips twitching. "Because you're my friends, and you deserved the warning. I'm not asking you to side with me - that's selfish and I can't do that. So I'm giving you time to prepare yourselves in case you're forced to attack me. Or, even better, I will knock you out if you want me to - that way you don't have to be anywhere near when the orders are given to attack."

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Don't be stupid." he said gruffly. "Of course we're going to fight with you, if that's necessary. But…let's get this straight. I'm fighting with you. Not that bastard Aizen."

Rangiku nodded once, smiling faintly, and after a long pause, Rukia did as well.

"We're with you too, Toushiko." Rukia said firmly, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "We'll watch your back."

Hitsugaya stared at the three in something like shock, but then a small voice filled the room and she froze.

"Shiro-chan…I can't forgive you for this…" Momo whimpered softly, her brown eyes watering. "How…how dare you set Aizen free! After everything he did to you! After all the pain and suffering he put you through! And you…!"

Momo buried her face in her hands for a moment, trying to compose herself, then looked up again, smiling through her pride and her pain. Then she darted forward, pulled Ichigo from her sister's grip, and launched herself onto the young captain, crying.

"I'll n-never forgive you f-for being so…so…" Momo choked. "For being so damn kindhearted!"

Toushiko sighed gracefully then and wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl, smiling in relief.

"Well, I suppose I should apologize, then…" she teased lightly, and Momo smacked her sister on the back of her white head, giggling through the tears of both pride and anger.

"Don't you ever change on me, Hitsugaya Toushiko!" she commanded. Toushiko shook her head with a fond huff of mild exasperation.

"I promise."

* * *

 **Well? How realistic were their reactions?**


	32. Stand Proud, Stay Strong

**A/N: I know, this took forever. But it's here now. As is college. *crying***

 **Enjoy, leave reviews, and hate Soifon's informant. ;)**

* * *

Soifon's slate glare was smug, her lips twitching up in the semblance of a pleased smile. A nervous air permeated the courtyard in which the delegations from each of the thirteen divisions gathered, the chairs at the head of oblong oval of people occupied by the King and Queen, their sons seated on their left with the Royal Guard hovering protectively behind them. Aizen had been missing for a month with no activity, so this meeting was of critical importance, especially since the Royal Family had chosen to commandeer the last portion of the meeting for their own personal business.

But Soifon knew that at the very least, the breach in their security which had allowed Aizen to escape would be closed after today.

She risked a glance at her informant, who stood wringing his pale hands with worry, staring at the petite lieutenant of the Fifth Division with heartfelt concern in his drooping blue eyes. The poor man was right to be fretting over their suspect's sister, Soifon knew, but nevertheless the overt display was getting on her nerves. The Second Division Captain cast a disdainful glance back at her lieutenant and her Third and Fourth Seats, all of whom were looking appropriately droll. Oomaeda caught her glance and quickly turned away, unwilling to meet his captain's steely glare.

Then the compact woman turned her head slightly until Kurosaki Ichigo and his family were visible out of the corner of her eye. Of all the shinigami here, he was the most likely to cause a ruckus once their suspect was arrested. After all, he was always very rowdy when his friends were threatened.

A slight pang of regret struck her as she watched the teenaged human joke around with his younger sisters and father. Soifon knew that his upset would spread through his family, and she admitted to liking the dark-haired twin - Karin. Kurosaki Karin was like her brother in many ways, namely her fierce personality, but she was also a ruthless opponent and could be very stealthy when she so wished. If the family did in fact follow through on their plan to relocate to Seireitei, then the Second Division would be more than happy to accept the most level-headed of the Kurosaki children (Yuzu was too…happy).

She didn't particularly want to upset them.

Soifon shot a sharp glare at Hitsugaya's empty place. Surprisingly enough, the youngest of the thirteen captains was the last to arrive. Even Kyoraku and Matsumoto had shown up already. Yamamoto cleared his throat, well aware that Soifon and Kurotsuchi would be reporting the results of the investigation very shortly.

"Has anyone seen Hitsugaya-taicho today?" he asked gruffly, trying not to let his concern through the white curtain of his beard. Matsumoto, as expected, raised her hand, her bright blue eyes wide in puzzlement.

"Yes sir!" she reported, her tone acceptably deferential for her personality. "Taicho ordered that the Third and Fourth Seats and I go on ahead. Taicho was going to finish up the last report and Shunpo here."

Yamamoto's shoulders dipped a bit, his bushy eyebrows furrowing together at the news, and Soifon could tell that the old man was relieved. Guilt mixed with anger struck her suddenly. How dare she! Yamamoto cared about his youngest captain like she was his own granddaughter - and this was how she repaid that care? Soifon fumed but kept her anger on a low simmer, waiting for the second that the boy-turned-girl Shunpoed into the meeting for the building storm to break loose.

And then, with a flash of white and black, Hitsugaya materialized in the center of the courtyard, and suddenly all that anger and fury vanished. Soifon felt her jaw dropping, heard the shocked gasps from every single one of her colleagues, and the low whistle of cold appreciation from the Royal Family.

This was… _ _bold.__ And Hitsugaya was making it abundantly clear just what was going on.

Green eyes shone in the weak winter sun, lined with dark makeup and framed by dark, long eyelashes. The wide blue sash wound around her midriff was a hair tighter than usual and tied into a distinct bow on her back, Hyourinmaru's shining length gleaming with power against her shoulder blades. Her white hair hung loose and silky about her shoulders, a simple blue barrette clipping her hair out of her face, and she seemed to have taken a leaf out of her lieutenant's book and allowed the neckline of her shihakusho to slip a good three inches below regulation - just enough to tease a hint of her chest.

Her lips, painted with brilliant coral lipstick that offset her smooth golden complexion, quirked in a confident smirk when she saw the stricken stares sent her way.

"I do apologize." she - there was no way she __wouldn't__ be a she with a production like this - said with that knowing smirk. "I was in such a hurry that I forgot that the meeting was being held here instead of the usual hall."

Yamamoto stared at the young woman standing rebelliously before him, both eyes cracked open in surprise, and for a solid moment he seemed incapable of responding to her rather pathetic excuse. But finally he nodded once.

"...see that it doesn't happen again." the old man said belatedly. Hitsugaya spared him a polite incline of her white head, thankfully retaining some aspect of her usual cold demeanor, then strode proudly into her place in line, head held high. There was something different about her aura today, Soifon noted, trying to put a finger on what exactly had changed, but somehow she couldn't place it. Frustrating.

But no matter.

Yamamoto slammed his staff down onto the cold tile of the courtyard, calling the meeting to order and very calmly addressing the entire group, reminding them that the wall surrounding Seireitei had indeed been fixed and revealing the startling information that the Royal Family would be leaving for their own realm directly after the meeting. Several of the captains, Soifon included, tensed at that news, trying not to stare at Hitsugaya. But even so, the boy-turned-girl appeared perfectly calm. Soifon felt suspicion bubble up in her gut. What was the traitorous girl planning?

"Soifon-taicho." Yamamoto's gruff, stern voice broke into her thoughts. "If you and Kurotsuchi-taicho would present the results of the investigation into Aizen's escape, it would be appreciated."

Soifon dipped her head and at Kurotsuchi's leering jerk of his head stepped a half-step out of her place in line to better address the entirety of the Gotei 13. The signal of her slight movement, however, set off a chain reaction amongst the Onmitsukido members hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

She took a deep breath.

"The investigation into Aizen's escape has finally yielded some fruitful results." she stated blankly, watching the reactions from all of the individual captains and their lieutenants. Most looked relieved by the news, but there were a select few who almost seemed worried. Kurosaki and Kuchiki-fukutaicho were two of these, as were Matsumoto and Hinamori. Soifon spared them a droplet of sympathy - they had indeed suffered at Aizen's hands, and had every right to be worried, but what came next would hurt them even more.

"I received a tip-off from Kira-fukutaicho some time ago." she began with a long-suffering sigh. "He had discovered an unauthorized schematic of Muken and many of the mechanisms used to imprison the traitor. He showed this schematic to me, which I immediately made a copy of, and the original was returned in order to not alert our suspect to the investigation. The owner of this item was then placed under watch by the Onmitsukido."

Kyoraku's dark eyes widened, mirroring that of many of his colleagues.

"...Are you saying that we have yet another traitor among us?" he asked quickly. The assembled group caught its breath, every single one of the captains and their subordinates staring at her without breathing.

"Yes." Soifon said after a long pause. "Further investigation into this individual revealed something…interesting. Kurotsuchi?"

At that, the mad scientist stepped forward, looking around maniacally, his decayed-yellow teeth as repulsive as ever.

"As Yamamoto-soutaicho knows, I discovered traces of an as-of-yet unknown form of energy lingering in Muken where the explosion that allowed Aizen and his accomplices to escape occurred." Kurotsuchi leered, obviously quite fascinated by the new energy, but Soifon's slate glare was locked on the ice-captain. Hitsugaya seemed genuinely interested, she noted with a hint of bafflement. Wouldn't the young woman realize at this point that hiding her involvement would be futile?

"It's a magnificent puzzle - it bears a vague resemblance to the purified reiatsu of the King's Seal and the Sokyoku, yet its residue alone is powerful enough to shatter even the strongest of my reiatsu-gathering analyzers." Kurotsuchi crooned for a moment as he tried to explain the subtleties of the the distinct difference between this new energy and reiatsu. But after he rambled on for several moments, Zaraki started to get impatient.

"Get to the point already, Kurotsuchi." the massive man said in a low growl, tapping his fingers absently on the hilt of his nameless Zanpakutou. Kurotsuchi muttered something obscene under his breath, glaring at the bloodthirsty captain, but since the Royal Family was there, he complied.

"Very well. For the barbarians among us who could care less about the technicalities…" Kurotsuchi snapped pointedly. "I made a device to track and recognize this energy. Soifon-taicho borrowed this device and found strong traces of this same energy."

Kuchiki stepped forward, his dark gaze piercing.

"So were you able to follow this energy to track the escaped criminal, Aizen Sousuke?" he asked, his face set like flint. A few places down from him, Hitsugaya shifted her weight from a relaxed stance of attention to something a little more defensive, her weight sliding marginally onto her left foot. Soifon caught the movement with a faint smirk of triumph.

"No." She said, finally turning to lock her gaze onto the dancing emerald fire of Hitsugaya's burning eyes. "But we did manage to link this abnormal energy use with our suspect."

Toushiko tensed as she saw the dawning glee in Soifon's eyes, and mentally prepared herself. She wasn't quite ready yet - she wanted the Royal Family to confront her first before she allowed Aizen and the others to move out into the open while she declared her intent to challenge. But then Soifon's hand twitched toward Suzumebachi's hilt and six different Onmitsukido members appeared around her out of nowhere, the steel knives in their hands hovering over her vitals, one pressing into her golden jugular. Kyoraku and Kurotsuchi were pushed away from her as she was surrounded, and shouts of shock sounded from several of her colleagues.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, you are under arrest on suspicion of treason!" Soifon snarled. Almost instantly, pandemonium broke out amongst the other captains, and her Third and two Fourth Seats surged forward, protesting violently. Her subordinates were shoved back roughly, thrown to the ground and bound with Kido to prevent them from resisting. Toushiko stiffened.

"You leave my subordinates alone, Soifon!" she spat, vicious anger like icicles in her frigid voice. It was true that she wanted the Royal Family to confront her - because that would fully demonstrate that her intent to challenge was indeed a contingency plan - but if things carried on like this, then she'd show her true colors to protect her men. The Onmitsukido members dug their knives into her skin a little more firmly as her ire spiked up, their hands locked firmly around her wrists to prevent her from reaching for her Zanpakutou. She growled at them in warning, eyes narrowing to thin slits.

Soifon stepped forward.

"Silence, prisoner!" she hissed. "As of this moment forward, you have no rights! If you do not wish to lose your life, you will obey!"

Yamamoto slammed his cane into the ground.

"Enough! Soifon-taicho, what is your evidence against Hitsugaya-taicho?" he demanded, unwilling doubt creeping into his eyes. Soifon's dark eyes narrowed.

"Hitsugaya-taicho was in possession of an unauthorized schematic of Muken, with specific focus on Aizen's bindings." she said stiffly. "Furthermore, Hitsugaya has taken to disappearing into the large cavern which Urahara built under Sokyoku Hill, and Kurotsuchi's device has picked up strong readings of the same energy used to break Aizen from his cell there."

The entire courtyard went silent. Then finally, Ukitake spoke up, directly addressing Hitsugaya.

"Hitsugaya-chan, that's pretty compelling evidence against you." he said weakly, running a hand through his long white hair. "The only problem here is that I can't see the motive. In fact, I'm looking at the captain who's the least likely to pull this stunt - besides Yamamoto, Komamura and the resident Vizards."

For a long second, everyone was quiet, including Toushiko. Ichigo, Rukia, Momo, Yuuma, and Hinamori were all staring at her with wide, nervous eyes, waiting for her to __do__ something - anything, even. But she held her breath, waiting, because the opening had been perfect.

She exhaled softly, turning emerald eyes upon the four Royals sitting at one end of the oblong shape, and as the crystals of soft ice formed on her lips, the Queen stood slowly, her eyes fixed on Hitsugaya's face. The ice on her breath shimmered faintly in the air, and the Queen slowly turned pale, blue eyes went widening.

"So it ****is**** you." she breathed out, staring at Hitsugaya's gold-toned face, taking in the young woman's short, curvy figure with something like growing annoyance. "You're the new royal-blooded Zanpakutou stealer who tripped our sensors."

Hitsugaya shot the Queen a nasty grin, showing her canines and allowing the glare of flashing hate to shine in the icy jade depths of her eyes.

"You're the thieves, bitch." she spat with a scowl. The captains gaped at Hitsugaya's blatant rudeness, but Ichigo let out a choked snort of laughter. His siblings and father looked briefly scandalized, though the awkward expressions didn't sit well with the laughter dancing in their eyes. The Queen's face darkened.

"You knew that Aizen Sousuke was your predecessor, did you not?" she asked loftily. Hitsugaya smirked, the stirrings of realization among her colleagues buzzing like bees in the back of her mind.

"You're smarter than you look, __your Majesty__." Toushiko said, her voice dark with churning fury and soured with acidic sarcasm. With an effortless jerk of her arms and upper torso, she sent all six of Soifon's underlings flying. The Queen's doll-like face contorted in anger.

"Know your place, peasant!" she hissed, taking a threatening step forward, but Hitsugaya raised her hand with a dark smile and without warning a blur of white and brown shot from above and a gleam of flashing silver reflected the cold winter sun with furious precision.

"Sousuke-kun." Toushiko greeted casually, ignoring the cries of shock from her colleagues. "How's Kyoka Suigetsu feeling?"

Aizen glanced over his white-clad shoulder with a cheerful smile, his hazel eyes clear and bright. The former captain stood between Toushiko and the Queen with his blade extended, pointing directly at the Queen's pale heart with unerring exactness. Almost on reflex, the Royal Guards hustled the Queen a safe distance away.

"Oh, she's doing very well, Hitsugaya-sama." Aizen replied politely, lowering his mirrored sword with a brisk movement. "My inner world is still quite the disaster though, and all the mirrors there are cracked quite badly. I'm afraid that our bond won't be the same until after we're reincarnated."

A chilly winter wind blew through the mostly-silent courtyard, the paving stones rebuking the passage of air over them with soft whistles. Thirteen white haori fluttered like ghosts in the wind, and Toushiko heard one of her Fourth Seats sobbing brokenly at the clear implication of his captain's casual conversation with the former traitor.

Yamamoto took a stern step forward.

"Hitsugaya-taicho…" he said heavily. "Have you anything to say for yourself before you are taken into custody?"

Toushiko threw him an apologetic smile, her coral-painted lips illuminating her face, then groaned as Aizen slid between her and the obviously-displeased Soutaicho.

"I suppose." she sighed, nudging the brunette man aside with an irritated huff. "First things first - this has nothing to do with the Gotei 13. Stay out of this so I don't have to fight you. Second - Sousuke-kun was indeed the wielder of a royal-blooded Zanpakutou before I came along. You know what that entails. He lost his Zanpakutou, and that's why he wanted to kill the Soul King - so he could get the other half of his soul back. And third…"

Hitsugaya allowed herself to laugh a little bit.

"My name isn't Toushiro." she chuckled lightly. "It's Toushiko now."

The twelve other captains gazed after her with understanding dawning in their eyes. Toushiko turned back to the royal family, her lips quirking.

"Well, I think we all know what's going to happen next." she said lightly. "So I'm going to call out my primary and secondaries in a moment, if you don't mind."

The King and Queen gaped.

"You're not going to…!" the king gasped. Hitsugaya smirked wickedly, then shot her hand back to Hyourinmaru's icy hilt and wrenched her Zanpakutou from his sheath, a draconic snarl echoing in her chest. She slammed the keen blade into the stone beneath her feet with vicious triumph, watching as the tile slabs cracked apart as Hyourinmaru's glistening length pierced effortlessly through them. With a flick of her faintly bluesilvered fingertips, the three Lotus Seals on her collarbone were thrown into the light of day and glowed in the wintry colors of her swelling reiatsu.

"Gentei Kaijo!" she shouted. "Seal of the Third Lotus!"

With a sound like shattering glass, the three tattoos on her collarbone splintered and broke, unleashing a dense fog of icy bluesilver-white reiatsu that spun with wind and flickers of crackling storm around Toushiko's curves. Her haori, kosode, hakama, and blue obi danced madly in the vortexing atmosphere, and her green eyes glowed with white and silver flame. Everyone except Aizen flinched away in shock, wondering at the lightning display of power and the scent of reiatsu-made ozone when the distinct sensation of suffocation usually accompanied by a captain's thick reiatsu was noticeably absent.

After a few moments, the flashing spike of power calmed to a deadened stillness, the bitterly cold air of winter unnaturally still, and Toushiko took a deep breath before slitting the palm of her left hand on the sharp edge of her blade. Frozen scarlet pattered on the stone below, the blood turned to crimson ice before it even hit the ground. Hitsugaya's pretty face was like stone as she smeared Hyourinmaru's hilt with the red liquid.

"I, Hitsugaya Toushiko, wielder and soul-partner of Hyourinmaru, do hereby declare my right to the crown of Seireitei and the Aspect of Death." she said, her voice commanding attention with steely vigor, the stilted formality of her declaration a warning for everyone present to keep their distance. "With the mark of the immortal powers of the world on my soul and the wind of a dragon's wings in my heart, I challenge thee to fulfill thy unspoken bond and prove thy family worthy of thy titles, or else be cast down in ruin by the music of thy own power. I issue this challenge in respect to all my brethren who have been enslaved by the hands of __thy bloodline__ , to provide thee with children and provide thee with stolen powers and stolen souls! I issue this challenge to exact the penalty of maltreatment of thy citizens to fulfill thy own selfish desires! I issue this challenge to see justice done in the name of all those Tamashino Kenmeinarei who have been brutalized on thy command!"

The rage in her heart was slowly deepening her voice to that of a dragon's building roar, the slow-simmering wrath of her draconic fury finally allowed to bubble and froth and boil as it had been threatening to do since Hyourinmaru's first experience with the evil of the Royal Family's practices. Frost began to creep effortlessly across the ground, and filigree lines of the pale Deep-Magic started to shimmer in midair as the spell inherent in the Trial of Two Blades began to take hold. The King and Queen cried out in surprise, recognizing the potent magic for what it was, and the shinigami fell back in shock at the sight of the non-reiatsu energy.

Hitsugaya felt Hyourinmaru's bellowing thunder resound in her body as if a massive gong had just been struck an inch behind her, and her brows lowered in fierce determination.

"I command thee!" she cried. "I command thee to face me in the Trial of Two Blades with the warrior thee deem fit to fight for thy Aspect! By the measure of the dragon I am, I deem thee __unworthy of thy power!__ "

The intricate knot of the glowing spell flashed brightly, and Toushiko felt her racing heart calm as the magic was set in stone. The King, Queen, and the Crown Prince exchanged stricken glances, but then the King let out a long sigh and took a step forward. His black eyes were like hard lumps of coal.

"Thy call for the Trial of Two Blades is met with the steel thou seek." he said coldly. "Thou shalt stand in mortal combat as thou wish by the life of thy primary guard and the blood of thy secondary guards. Let thy underlings now proclaim themselves."

Without even the slightest flicker of hesitation, Aizen swept Kyoka Suigetsu's gleaming blade out in front of his face and lightly ran his hand across the sharp edge. A trickle of blood slid down his wrist.

"I, Aizen Sousuke, wielder and soul-partner of Kyoka Suigetsu, do hereby stand as Hitsugaya-sama's primary guard." the former traitor said with a cold, cruel snarl. "My will is as hers, and I will stake my life upon her claim to thy ill-gotten throne!"

The ferocity in his voice threw the captains watching in utter shock for a large, swift, loop. Shinji especially stared at this devoted, fierce protector that stood obediently at the ice-wraith's side with fury in his brilliant hazel eyes, completely focused upon his duty to the young woman he was volunteering his life for. The white light of the spell trailed to ghost over the blood on his palm, sealing him irrevocably to the enchantment present in the barren courtyard.

"The hell happened to Aizen?" Shinji mumbled, and all of the other captains just looked at him helplessly.

But then with a loud, cocky shout, Ichigo sauntered forward, an arrogant grin on his face. He quickly pressed his thumb to Zangetsu's edge, allowing a few drops of blood to well up from the thin cut.

"I, Kurosaki Ichigo, wielder of Zangetsu, do hereby second Hitsugaya Toushiko's right to the throne of Seireitei!" the substitute shinigami proclaimed with a smirk, watching as Toushiko snapped her head around to stare at his grinning face. He winked at his petite girlfriend casually, holding out one hand as the Deep-Magic drew him into the spell as well.

"Hey, I gotta stick with my best girl, don't I?" he said roguishly, drawing a rose-gold blush and a scowl of sticky embarrassment to Hitsugaya's tanned cheeks. Then Rangiku bounded forward, also nicking her thumb on her sword. She repeated the formula that Ichigo had just spouted off, still smiling, then chuckled at her captain's expression.

"Ne, Taicho~!" she simpered sweetly. "We said we were with you, silly. With __you__. Did you think that when we actually saw Aizen's ugly face that we'd turn tail on you?"

Hitsugaya gaped at them, much to Aizen's clear amusement, but then Rukia and Momo were flatly walking up to the edge of the white ring and copying Rangiku & Ichigo, identical expressions of exasperation on their faces.

"Idiot!" Rukia snapped ferociously, ignoring the tingle of the magic as it absorbed her blood and her oath. Momo echoed her with a distinctly more fond inflection in her voice. "You're an idiot, Toushiko-chan."

"Onee-sama isn't an idiot!" Yuuma spat back suddenly, leaping out from behind his mother and half-brother to run to his biological father's side. He too performed the secondary rite, then leapt on his dad. The royals gaped in shock. "She saved my Otou-san from being completely nuts!"

Aizen squawked out a loud _'_ _ _oof'__ as Yuuma crashed into his side, but then he let out a rich laugh and ruffled the young boy's brown hair with his unbloodied hand. The Gotei 13 looked on in disbelief at the cheer on the former traitor's tan face. Ichigo couldn't stop his snicker.

"Kid, your dad's a lost cause." he said roughly, though his tone wasn't unkind. His brown glare, however, burned on Aizen's face, and the man had the decency to wince and look ashamed of himself. Thankfully, Yuuma missed it and so just snickered. Then a shimmering door in orangey light took slow, fiery form in midair and opened with a flash of powerful magic. Aizen looked up in pleased surprise as Akaen, Kotabiki, and several other Kenmeinarei spirits stepped through the portal and also sealed themselves to the intricate knot of twisting enchantment twining Hitsugaya to the Royal Family.

"Oh, you made it, Akaen-san." he exclaimed. Akaen smiled, revealing his curved fangs, a glint in his flaming eyes.

"Sousuke-hina." he greeted warmly. "I wouldn't miss this fledgling queen's First Flight for all the firelight in existence."

Soifon gaped as the very spirits who'd attacked Seireitei to exfiltrate Aizen flitted through the glowing portal with various stages of bouncy happiness on their faces, all scantily clad and heavily tattooed. They swept into the courtyard like a rushing, silent tide, pooling around the filigree magic surrounding Toushiko. Slowly, Yamamoto spoke, his voice careful and decisive.

"Hitsugaya-taicho." he said deliberately, watching the lightfooted spirits spin around the white-haired young woman. "Would I be correct in assuming that you have released Aizen Sousuke simply because he is the previous wielder of a royal-blooded Zanpakutou?"

Hitsugaya lifted her face challengingly to Yamamoto's wrinkled stare, the winter sun glowing on her cold skin. The intricate spell around her ceased to shine, its work done, yet somehow she still radiated that distinct, instinctual light. Behind her Sousuke teased his son, tousling the boy's hair affectionately and completely ignoring the young prince's attempts to throw him off. The parental atmosphere was all too obvious.

"No." she said firmly, glancing back at the father and his son with a soft compassion on her face. Yamamoto followed her gaze, also noting the vivacious strength cloaking the former traitor's mirrored Zanpakutou. One of his old eyes opened in sudden comprehension, and Hitsugaya sighed calmly as she saw the realization dawning in the fire-wielder's coal stare.

"I released Aizen because I finally understood him."

* * *

 **Well? Tell me how it was in the bitty box!**


	33. Departure

**A/N: So this is inexcusably late - I would apologize, but college levels of schoolwork have basically been papers due in every class. You read me? Thanks!**

 **Anyhow, here's the next chapter - the next few are going to have some filler-ish content, mind you, but I think they're necessary. Hopefully you'll understand why.**

 **Also, I've set up a poll on my profile - go check it out, would you? After "Transition Period" is complete, the "Power of Seven" will resume...but then what happens next? I need your help to decide! :)**

 **Enjoy now!**

* * *

The anxious muttering of her subordinates was silenced instantly as she stepped haughtily back through the gates of her division. The twelve other captains with their subordinates and Ichibei, the Royal Guard's commander, followed her wordlessly with varying levels of anger, hatred, and understanding on their faces, yet Toushiko steadfastly ignored the stares burning a hole through the haori on her back. A pretty smile graced her face as she stood motionless, her cold gaze ripping through the mass of her subordinates, and without warning she stepped aside and cast a sly glance Yamamoto's way.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho, what are you going to do?" she asked calmly. The wrinkled flame-wielder said nothing for a long moment, his long white mustache and beard slightly mussed from the excitement of the Captains' and Lieutenants' meeting. Wind whistled threateningly around the corners of the buildings.

"The Trial of Two Blades protects you from all death or mistreatment save that at the hands of your opponent." he said steadily. "So I cannot turn you over to Central 46, for there is no sentence which can be levied upon you."

Hitsugaya ignored the ripples of breaking panic in the gathered and growing throng of her men, merely gesturing silently at the air.

"So then, what will you do?" she raised a white eyebrow. "I will not renounce my actions, if that is what you wish."

Yamamoto shook his old head slowly, his dark eyes opening to reveal a calculating stare.

"...I am aware of your stubbornness, young lady." he rebuked, his tone softer than it should be. "I believe that the only action for censure that I can currently take against you is to broadcast the truth to all of Seireitei."

Hitsugaya snorted.

"Tch. No need for that." she said with a careless wave of her head, smiling faintly. "The bastard's shadowing me right now. I flick my hand and he shows himself."

Yamamoto shook his head, an unusual gentleness upon his old face.

"You misunderstand me." he rumbled. "I meant that the __whole__ truth will be revealed. The truth of the Royal Family's power and corruption will be laid bare, and Aizen's motives will be revealed."

Toushiko's eyes widened at the boldness of Yamamoto's remarks, and then widened even more so at Ichibei's wordless shrug of clear uncaring, reading into the implication of their actions. However, Soifon protested violently, her stony glare spitting sparks of hatred.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho! Hitsugaya has directly committed treason and freed a convicted criminal!" she spat. The waves of gently rippling panic in the Tenth Division swelled to a tsunami of denial, and fierce, angry protesting broke out. Hitsugaya shot them a cold look, then did as she'd threatened to earlier and flicked her wrist. Aizen shot out of the shadows in a rush of white, crouching on the ground at her side like a well-trained guard dog, his wavy brown hair caught against his tanned temples. Complete silence fell over the shocked mass of Toushiko's assembled subordinates.

"She freed a man who was robbed of half of his soul by a corrupt throne, Soifon." Yamamoto said stiffly, his creaking voice stern with age and command. Soifon fell silent. "Of all assembled here, Hitsugaya-taicho is the only one who placed her sense of righteousness over her orders and brought the dark truth of Aizen's Sousuke's quest to overthrow the Royal Family to light."

Slowly, one of Hitsugaya's Fifth Seats stepped forward, her knees shaking as she stared at her captain's back with ,wide pleading eyes. She seemed to be trying to ignore Aizen's presence to the best of her ability.

"Taicho…" she called weakly. "Taicho, please…"

Toushiko looked back at her, winter wind gusting through the courtyard and catching a spray of lightly frosted dust which drifted into the air with a flickering gleam of ice. The emerald stare was cold but not unkind.

"I will not pretend that Aizen Sousuke is an innocent man." she sighed, her voice carrying through the soft stillness. "But there are some crimes which are unforgivable. Stealing half of a first-year Shinou Academy student's soul and forcing him into insanity is one of those crimes - and it was committed by the __current Queen of Soul Society__."

The visible flinch which shook Aizen's shoulders caught several of the seated officers' attention, and Toushiko nodded grimly at them.

"I chose to free and heal the man you see before you because he and I are alike. We are Tamashino Kenmeinarei - wielders of the royal-blooded Zanpakutou of Soul Society, and our souls are bound to the workings of the world." she stated, eyes blazing. "I chose to orchestrate this man's escape because he suffered the same unjust atrocity which now threatens me. I do not expect your forgiveness or acceptance! But you do deserve to know this truth."

The assembled mass of her Division simply stared at her with gaping mouths and dinner-plate eyes, flabbergasted by her determination. Hitsugaya glanced back at Ichibei with a brief flicker of apprehension, quickly hidden, then widened her stance slightly.

"I will face the Royal Family's champion in a duel in one week's time, in the Royal Family's training grounds!" She called out, regurgitating the limitations which the Soul King had placed on the duel with clear distaste. "All shinigami are welcome to come and observe if they so wish."

Toushiko surveyed them with a fond eye.

"Regardless of the outcome of that battle, you will lose me as your captain at that time." she said, her voice softer, kinder. "I know that you may not wish to hear this from me considering how I have betrayed your trust…but you, the members of the Tenth Division, have been and always will be my pride."

There was silence, and in that time, Hitsugaya turned back to Yamamoto with gratitude etched into the lines of her young face. She bowed deeply then.

"I will be going now, Yamamoto-soutaicho." she said, her voice strong. "And I will ask that my secondaries accompany me. I do not want to be the cause of friction within Seireitei."

Yamamoto looked down at the petite young woman with one eye, his expression thoughtful.

"Go then, little dragoness." he said finally, lips twitching in what could be a smile. "Far be it from any mere fire drake to rail against the North Star."

Hitsugaya's head slowly tipped up. Ichigo, Hinamori, Matsumoto, Rukia, Yuuma, Sousuke, and all of the Kenmeinarei watched with some puzzlement, but Akaen practically glowed with pride, his fiery crimson hair alight at the ends with wildly burning flame.

"You knew?" Hitsugaya asked slowly, much to Ichibei's shock. Yamamoto inclined his head once, bushy mustache twitching still.

"Ryujin Jakka always knew Hyourinmaru was far more powerful than your immature Bankai had us believe." the old shinigami said quietly. "But when Kurotsuchi flipped your gender, Hyourinmaru's hidden power woke, and Ryujin Jakka recognized him for what he was. You and Hyourinmaru are one of the four Cardinal Spirits, are you not?"

Hitsugaya gazed directly into the old man's face, lips slowly curling into a smile.

"The North Star…" she sighed. "The guiding light, ruler of the heavens and the sky, queen of the air, winter and storm incarnate…"

A fierce pride lit her smile, and suddenly she seemed to grow tall despite her scant height. In the sky above, far to the north, a brilliant star reflected in the cold winter atmosphere.

"Yes." she said calmly. "Yes, that is me."

Yamamoto's tense old shoulders seemed to noticeably relax, and he sighed gruffly.

"So I had hoped." he groaned. "I wish you luck, then."

She acknowledged the statement of goodwill with a calculating glance, a glint of cold steel in her eyes. A chilly sort of understanding passed over her face before she turned and with a flick of her bluesilver-tipped fingers opened the glowing door to the Kenmeinarei's realm. The captains gaped at the sight in shock, baffled by the lack of reiatsu. Then Hitsugaya tipped her head up, gazing at Enseki with hard green eyes.

"Enseki. You first." she called out. The smoky Kenmeinarei girl gave her Alpha a quick salute.

"Yes, Hitsugaya-sama!" she responded promptly, smiling, then leapt from the roof of the Tenth's inventory rooms and dove through the portal with a leathery rustle of her wings. One by one, the other Kenmeinarei spirits followed her, leaving Akaen for last. He turned and stretched out a hand.

"Sousuke-hina, I hope you and your son are coming with us." he said kindly. Yuuma looked up at his father, then grabbed the man by the wrist and dragged him through, ignoring Aizen's comical protests.

"Yep!" he chirped. "Hope you don't mind!"

Akaen laughed and ushered the pair through, even giving the elder Aizen a reassuring push through the doorway to calm his surprised flailing. Then the tall Wildfire spirit turned back to look at the four shinigami who were standing huddled carefully together, apart from their peers.

"Your four can come through as well." he said, his voice sparking with mischief.

Ichigo, Momo, Rukia, and Rangiku all looked at each other, then at various members of the Gotei 13 with some trepidation. After a moment's pause and a silent conversation with his father, Ichigo bounded forward.

"Count me in." he said, tossing his head. "I'm not part of this circus - they'd toss me jail for doing less."

Rukia smirked up at the strawberry, carefully placing herself at Toushiko's side with a smile.

"I suppose I'll have to come then, just so Ichigo doesn't do anything stupid." she said. Rangiku bubbled cheerfully.

"Ooh, make that three of us!" the busty lieutenant chirped, glomping her poor captain in a spectacular hug. "I can't leave my poor little taicho all by herself!"

"Oi, Matsumoto! Suffocating!"

Momo started laughing at the familiar scene, then hurried forward to tug Rangiku off her sister. A few of the Tenth's members are started laughing, the honesty of Toushiko's revelation combining with her typical gruff behavior to seem completely genuine. Then Momo sighed deeply and folded her arms.

"Then I guess I'll come as well." she said after a long pause, watching Toushiko's pretty face glow. "If only to make sure my sister is safe."

"No!"

The cry was sharp and sudden. Kira took a half step forward, his dark blue eyes wide in horror. He was breathing heavily. "No, Hinamori-kun, you can't!"

Momo stared at him, bemused by the sudden outburst. She turned back to face the distraught blonde with a blink of her large brown eyes.

"Kira-kun?"

"Momo, you don't understand!" Kira pleaded. "Hitsugaya freed the man who tried to __kill__ you!"

Momo's face hardened, and she folded her arms across her chest.

"And, if my memory serves me correctly, this man then proceeded to __taunt__ my sister with my bleeding body before cutting her down just as brutally." she said pointedly. "And yet she somehow found a sufficient reason to free this man and heal his mind - which was broken because he'd had half of his soul ripped out. I think I understand perfectly well."

Kira tore at his hair in frustration.

"Hitsugaya is __male__!" he yelled. Silence fell. Momo's dark brown eyes were open wide, and Ichigo, Rangiku, and Rukia were all staring at the lieutenant in shock, as were most of the captains. The Tenth Division was more quiet than a graveyard. Toushiko stood frozen in front of them, her jaw dropped, her emerald stare almost blank. Slow pain was beginning to creep across her face.

"Is…Is that what this is all about?" Hitsugaya choked out finally, her stare fixed upon Kira's furious expression. The stone seemed to reverberate with her soft voice. Kira glared at her.

"You…As if!" he spat out. "I found that diagram when you dropped it and turned it in because it was my duty!"

"...How long were you following me beforehand?" Hitsugaya choked out, deep-rooted hurt and anger creeping like frost across her face. "That's not just a chance thing, Kira. And you __knew__ it was mine."

There was a long silence in which Kira Izuru's expression curdled into something poisonous and black. Then he exploded.

"Ever since that damn party that Hinamori-kun threw, I knew you couldn't be trusted." he hissed finally. "You…you can't even keep your own gender straight - what kind of idiot would trust you with important things?!"

Toushiko tried hard not to flinch at the stabbing accusations, but her lips thinned and the spark of fury in her jade glare began to flicker with energy. Ice spiked through her hair, freezing it briefly into a wild dangerous mess of sharp ice and white frost.

"You're a freak!" Kira snapped furiously. "What self-respecting man wears a dress and makeup? Who else would __possibly__ consider freeing Aizen except someone just as despicable as-"

"That's enough!"

Momo's roar of rage echoed off the tile of the courtyard, her entire body alight with her fiery pink reiatsu. Tobiume lay unsheathed in her palm, trembling with anger, and she spat at Kira with a heaping mound of disgust.

"You make me sick." she snarled at her friend, taking a threatening step forward. Izuru cast a pleading look her way.

"Hinamori-kun, you don't __understand-__ "

"I understand ****perfectly well****."

Hinamori's breathing was heavy, her reiatsu still flickering brightly, just vaguely below Captain-level. Kira looked pressured.

"You're a ****coward****." Hinamori snarled, her voice deadly. "A narrow-minded, loud-mouthed, reprehensible, vulgar ****coward****. How dare you use my sister's gender as an excuse to scapegoat her! How **__**dare**__** you blame her actions on her being transgender! My sister is a kick-ass woman who fights for what she thinks is right and isn't afraid of being herself! Everyone with __eyes__ knew that you had a crush on Ichimaru, so don't you take out your jealous anger on- NO! Don't you fucking __deny__ it!"

Izuru cowered away from the girl he'd thought was his calm, quiet friend as she started ranting and raving at him, her voice forceful at times and shrill at others. He covered his head with his hands. And then a hand landed on Momo's shoulder.

"...Thank you, Momo." Hitsugaya murmured quietly. Hinamori fell silent, glaring at Kira with disgust in her eyes.

"Fine." Hinamori sniffed, sheathing Tobiume with a sharp __snip__. Then she glanced back at Hirako and Otorobashi and the other captains, steel in her expression.

"Take that into consideration when comparing my sister's actions with that of a radical fanatic, would you?" she said, her voice clipped. Hirako gazed gravely at her.

"I think we can all agree that Kira-fukutaicho's prejudices were uncalled for, Hinamori-chan." he said after a long moment, regarding the cowering lieutenant with a thoughtful eye. Soifon also looked repulsed by the man's intolerant behavior - though mostly because the possibility existed that prejudice had been the ONLY reason she'd gotten her lead in Aizen's escape at all.

Then Hitsugaya sighed and gently pushed her sister towards the portal.

"Let's go." she said softly.

Hitsugaya watched silently as Akaen and the four shinigami stepped through the glowing gateway, then turned back to Yamamoto.

"If you need me this week…call my name." she said, her voice laced with Deep-magic. Bluewhite filigree crept across the buds on her tongue. "I will answer."

Yamamoto inclined his head once.

"Go."

So she did.

* * *

 **So...the poll, pretty please! And please review! :)**


	34. Shine Bright, Starlight

**A/N: Answer my poll, if you please. I've only had 6 responders so far, and that's kinda sad... :'(**

 **Anyhow, here's a little of that filler I promised. :) I promise there's some cool stuff in here though!**

* * *

"...Where the __hell__ are their clothes?"

Toushiko groaned in exasperation, trying to hide the twitching of her eyebrow in her hands as her boyfriend stared curiously at the Kenmeinarei spirits gathered curiously around the four newcomers. Reiiyasu in particular was curious, his finely braided, pale-green hair swinging in concert with the twitching of his tail as he tried his absolute hardest not to stare at Momo. But even as Toushiko was about to smack her clueless boyfriend for his incomprehensible rudeness, Kotabiki stifled a glare with a sigh of recognition and smiled faintly.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. I thought I recognized your scent." she said with a kind smile. Ichigo jerked back in surprise.

"My scent? What the hell?" he gaped and finally, Toushiko coughed out an intervention. The Kenmeinarei gathered around them looked on, both annoyed and amused all in one.

"Erk, Ichigo…I might need you clue you in on some cultural tics that the Kenmeinarei have…" She interjected, her voice a little bit strained. Rukia, Momo, and Rangiku tore their gazes away from the sight of the grassy meadow in the center of the cavern they stood in, their interest caught by Hitsugaya's tense tone. The substitute shinigami glanced down at his petite girlfriend in confusion.

"Cultural tics?" he asked. Toushiko sighed.

"It's considered rude to ask questions in Kenmeinarei culture." she admitted finally. The four shinigami blinked in surprise, eliciting a snicker of amusement from Aizen and his son, who were seated comfortably in the center of the grassy patch. As one, several of the Kenmeinarei gathered around the cavern relaxed, understanding then that the shinigami which had just entered their domain were as of yet unaware of the odd quirks of their culture, and the group began to dissipate, leaving just Reiiyasu, Kotabiki, and Akaen in the open cavern with the shinigami. After a moment, Ichigo turned an embarrassed shade of scarlet.

"...er, how rude is it? I mean - oh dammit, I did it again!" he cried suddenly. Toushiko rolled her eyes.

"It's not the end of the world." she said dryly. Then her expression turned serious. "But the spread of knowledge is sacred to Kenmeinarei. Asking for information is tantamount to declaring that you deserve it. But if you phrase your questions as a statement, you're providing an opportunity for someone else to declare you worthy of their knowledge…if that makes any sense to you."

Rukia cocked a dark eyebrow, her violet eyes widening. A sly smile passed across her face.

"So because you are half Kenmeinarei, then you must follow their rules." she said slowly, her gaze fixed on Toushiko's golden face. The young woman blinked, then smiled and shook her head, appreciative of Rukia's effort.

"No, you can still ask me questions if you need to." she said with a grin. "And if you really want to know something but can't figure out how to phrase it as a statement, then just come right out and let the spirit you're talking to know that you can't figure out how to go about it politely. Odds are that your effort will be appreciated regardless."

Ichigo rubbed a hand over the back of his head, looking lost.

"Ugh, that sounds complicated."

Kotabiki laughed at him, her golden eyes glistening.

"You will have to become accustomed to it, Ichigo-kishou." she said with a wry smile. "After all your mateling is an exceedingly powerful spirit in her own right, and she too will follow these customs when she wishes to do so."

Ichigo looked baffled by the use of the word 'mateling,' but he bit his tongue and just nodded, pretending to understand the unfamiliar term. Kotabiki, seeing his masked confusion, laughed again.

"A mateling is what we would call…ah, I think you call it a __girl__ - _ _friend__ , but mateling is more a serious term. A pair who are referred to as matelings are very compatible, and the affection between them is typically quite strong." Kotabiki explained, ignoring the way that Toushiko's cheeks were steadily turning rosy with embarrassment. "The deeper the feelings run, the stronger one's scent lingers on their other half."

Ichigo's brown eyes widened, but Rangiku beat him to the punch, clapping her hands and leaping on her captain with glee.

"Oh, Taicho! So that's why that woman knows who Ichigo-kun is - she's __smelled__ his scent on you! I knew it was love!"

"Oi, Matsumoto! Get off!" Toushiko squalled, thrashing in her lieutenant's suffocating grip, much to the amusement of Momo and Rukia. But then Aizen interjected with a grin, his hazel eyes flashing with gentle mirth.

"Oh, Hitsugaya-sama, don't be so cold." he called out, glancing at Ichigo with a meaningful glint in his clear eyes. "I mean, I don't even have a Kenmeinarei's advanced senses and I can sniff out the affection between you two."

"Aizen, don't make me throw you back in Muken!"

* * *

The blush on Hitsugaya's golden face was still raging even as she stomped huffily away into the thicket of trees, her haori billowing behind her as currents of cold air swirled around her curvy body with biting speed. Ichigo, Rangiku, Rukia, and Momo followed her at a short distance away. Aizen's gentle teasing had clearly struck a nerve in the young woman, and her sulky, embarrassed demeanor was too funny to ignore. Ichigo, on the other hand, was more touched than anything else though he couldn't deny the pink tinge to his cheeks.

They came to a halt in a glade sheathed in dark green, the evergreen pines shedding their fur-like needles onto the deep brown earth. Toushiko stood in the middle of the clearing for a long moment, breathing in the sharp scent of pine sap, then half turned to face the four who had followed her in spite of her role in Aizen's release. Her emerald eyes glistened with sparkling emotion, and without warning she shot forward and seized Ichigo in a tight embrace, burying her face in his shihakusho top. Her hands shook slightly.

"Shira?" Ichigo's voice was concerned, but a simple shake of his girlfriend's snowcapped head quelled his worry.

"I'm alright." she said softly. "It's just…weird for Kotabiki and Akaen to comment on our relationship with such nonchalance."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, lightly resting his head on top of Toushiko's wild white hair, tactfully not mentioning the slick ice clinging to the fine strands.

"Why is that?" he asked curiously. Toushiko fidgeted in his embrace.

"They've sort of adopted me, if that makes any sense." she admitted finally. "Even as a Kenmeinarei spirit, I haven't matured yet - which is part of the reason I can challenge for the throne of Seireitei. But adult Kenmeinarei spirits are…well, they're very protective of their young. They must really like you."

Ichigo tried not to let out a shudder of relief, remembering the debacle that had been the Kenmeinarei invasion of Seireitei and how easily the captains had been dispatched. A cool breeze caught his orange hair.

"...Dating you is so much trouble." he teased. "First I have to worry about Yamamoto burning me at the stake, and now you're telling me that two immortal god-spirit-people could also kill me for making a wrong move?"

Toushiko scowled, and sudden a fierce blast of frosty winter wind blew the carrot-topped man away, slamming him into a tree. A smirk crossed her face at the whines of protest and complaint that came out of her boyfriend's grinning mouth, her emerald glare pinned to the substitute's sprawled form where he was pasted upside-down against a nearby tree.

"Aren't you forgetting that I'm also perfectly capable of kicking your ass?" she taunted, tossing her head, her lips curving in a dangerous flash of coral-pink lipstick. Ichigo peeled himself carefully off the trunk with a resigned grin.

"Yeah, but at least you like me too much to kill me." he replied, a hint of cheek in his tone as he got back to his feet. "Yamamoto wouldn't give a crap, and I don't know Akaen-san or Kotabiki-san well enough to say one way or the other about them."

Matsumoto and Rukia started laughing, perfectly well aware that Ichigo's assessment of Yamamoto was true and even Momo grinned, biting her tongue to avoid making any noise. Toushiko just rolled her eyes, trying not to let her face soften too much.

"Yeah, I suppose you're lucky there, aren't you?" she said with a long sigh, looking up at the cold winter sky. Her white hair shone in the light of the sun. Then she straightened up, her expression once more serious. Something nameless glinted in the jade depths of her bottomless emerald stare. Ichigo, Rangiku, Rukia, and Momo observed her quietly, baffled by the about-face of her mood. But Hitsugaya just stood there quietly, her undetectable reiatsu shimmering slightly in the air about her. And finally, she spoke, the ferocity of a dragon gleaming on her golden face, blue sash swirling about her, wind spinning about her curvy little body with increasing rapidity.

"I will win, you know." she said, her voice fierce, the expression on her face stone-cold with resolve. "The alternative is too awful for me to bear."

Ichigo stepped forward, his brown eyes boring a hole through his girlfriend's determined face. He stood stiffly, hands clenched into tight fists at his sides, the billowing black of his shihakusho caught in the biting cold breezes enveloping Toushiko's small form.

"You'd better." he choked out. "Otherwise I might do something very stupid."

Toushiko snorted and just stared at her boyfriend for a solid five seconds without a word.

"Like you haven't before?" she said finally, her words accompanied by another eye roll. Rukia let out a very unladylike snort of stifled giggles, and Ichigo threw his friend a nasty look. Toushiko smiled, the tension leaving her body at the familiar interaction between those two. She laughed quietly, and suddenly the fierce winds calmed, a sparkling hint of snow starting to ghost effortlessly around her.

"I want to show you four the final stage of my Bankai." she announced. Silence fell. Rangiku raised an eyebrow at the sudden proclamation, trying to process the new information.

"There's a final stage to your Bankai?" she asked blankly. "…How strong __are__ you, Taicho?"

Hitsugaya just shrugged, unsure of the limits of her strength, then drew Hyourinmaru from his sheath with a quick flick of her wrist.

"My Bankai has a second stage which compresses my power into a smaller form." she replied, carefully holding Hyourinmaru's silver blade in both hands. Icy light began to gleam from her fingertips. "When I began to realize that I __wanted__ to be female, Hyourinmaru turned over full control of my powers because I was finally understanding my true self. My Shikai, Bankai, and this final-stage are changed because I understand myself better."

Ichigo's eyes suddenly widened, his mind flashing back to that bloody incident in District 44 which had so long ago cemented the beginning of their relationship. The sight of crystalline wings and a sparkling crown of ice flickered into his memory.

"Your Shikai! Back in District 44, when you jumped in front of that Adjuchas for me!" he exclaimed. "It…It looked like you'd called out your Bankai, but it was your Shikai!"

Toushiko nodded, smiling, the glow on her fingertips growing stronger.

"Exactly." her eyes glowed brightly. "And this - __this__ is my Bankai."

Hyourinmaru's length exploded in light.

"Bankai: Fukyuukai Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" she called out, and without warning, a winter storm exploded into being in the midst of the evergreen clearing, ice cracking over the tall pines, snow and sleet whipping up a column of thick, obscuring white around Hitsugaya's curvy frame. Dense light - the kind that looks tangible, as if one could take a mouthful and swallow it - scored deep rents in the earth, the whistling howling of a thunderstorm gathering in the distance. Ichigo, Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia cringed away, shielding their faces with their arms, eyes squinting into the blinding column of wintry storm. Cold bit deep into their flesh, chilling bone almost instantly and wracking them with shudders. But then the rush of ice, snow, and wind calmed, the snow and hail falling gently to the ground, the dense light fading to a mere glimmer on golden skin.

Slowly, Toushiko unfurled her feathered wings, stretching the muscle with deliberate lethargy as the white and pale-grey feathers rustled. The four shinigami standing before her gaped in unadulterated shock. Hitsugaya's lips curled back in a smile at the sight of her friends' disbelief, her white fangs gleaming with starlight, and she put a hand on her exposed golden hip, the pale-blue, silver, and white cloth of her scant garments scintillating with sheer ice. Palest blue and glowing white tattoos flashed over her golden skin, forming intricate patterns and then dissolving into a faint sheen of nebulous power before reforming.

With a fanged smile, Toushiko ran her fingers through the wild mess of her long white hair, careful of the half-braids, platinum filigree, and ice-diamond gemdrops woven into the fine snowy silk.

"Is it everything you expected?" she asked after a moment, her voice a soft purr. The crisp snow barely crackled under her light feet as she flitted a small pace forward, platinum clinking on her ankles. Her feathered tail flicked expectantly and she dropped into a playful half-crouch, her hands resting naturally on the snow. The long, pointed tips of her ears twitched.

Rangiku sucked in a huge breath and answered for their group, her eyes a piercing grey with shock.

"...You're…exactly like the Kenmeinarei." she breathed. Hitsugaya let out another purring laugh, the choker necklace about her throat bobbing slightly over her Adam's apple.

"I __am__ Tamashino Kenmeinarei." she said smugly, still well aware of the way that Ichigo's eyes burned on her. Then she reached up and tapped the silvery diadem on her head. "And one of the Four Cardinals, no less."

Rukia took a dazed step forward, one hand running absently over Sode no Shirayuki's hilt. Her violet stare was wide, and though ice crystals clung to her hakama and kosode she seemed drawn to the winter spirit before her.

"You…you feel so __cold__ , Toushiko-chan." she breathed. "Sode no Shirayuki's…well, she kind of…"

Toushiko laughed softly, then reached out with one hand, allowing the Deep-magic to curl off her blue-tinted fingertips in swirls of silvery white and palest blue.

"She wants to get closer, doesn't she?" Hitsugaya asked, tipping her head to the side in careful amusement, remembering the oddness of Sode no Shirayuki's released attacks, which had snow spurting from even the handle of her blade. Rukia nodded wordlessly, puzzled by her sword's demand, and slowly Toushiko allowed the thrumming beat of the familiar Deep-magic humming in her chest to expand along the woven fabric of the spiritual world until the Zanpakutou spirit slowly was coaxed forward, absorbing the offered energy until, in a flash of white, she materialized.

Rukia yelped in shock as her Zanpakutou dissolved by her side, the whirl of white consolidating almost instantly into a delicate butterfly of pure white ice, twinkling snowflakes glimmering on the antennae and gleaming in a light, frosty dusting on the delicate creature's translucent wings. Both Momo and Rangiku stared in surprise at the materialized spirit, and Ichigo, after looking at the large insect for a few moments, grinned with approval.

Hitsugaya, on the other hand, hadn't yet taken her eyes off the Zanpakutou spirit fluttering just before her. The silence in the clearing was muted by the snow around them, with Rukia watching the embodiment of her soul hover in front of the powerful half-deity she considered a friend with no little trepidation.

"...my wielder is not like you…"

The butterfly's voice startled everyone there with its spitfire hiss, a crackling noise much like the splintering of ice under too much weight. Hitsugaya gazed at Sode no Shirayuki, a cold sort of wisdom pooling in the jade of her eyes.

"No, Rukia is not like me." Hitsugaya agreed quietly. "I encompass where she is specific."

Sode no Shirayuki considered that, then fluttered closer, until her gossamer ice wings were inches away from brushing Hitsugaya's winter-gold skin.

"...my wielder likes the cold, but not the snow…" Shirayuki whispered then in her snowfall sizzle, and Rukia jerked, startled by her Zanpakutou spirit's openness. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"You do not emit ice from your tip, Sode no Shirayuki." the winter spirit said distantly, and in the sky to the far North a gemstone light began to shine. "I can sense your coldness."

The butterfly spirit seemed to relax then, alighting on the carpet of snow beneath her feet.

"...snow is wet…cold is dry…" the Zanpakutou hummed, her voice growing cooler by the minute. "…my wielder suspects but has not guessed…"

Hitsugaya blinked owlishly.

"Then you need to lead her in the right direction."

The snow beneath the butterfly's tiny feet began to crinkle and ice together, as if the temperature had suddenly dropped.

"...which way…?"

Hitsugaya smiled a fanged smile.

"North."

And with that Sode no Shirayuki dipped her antennae and vanished. Rukia's Zanpakutou reformed at her side in blade form.

The shinigami stared at Rukia, then at Toushiko. Ichigo blinked.

"What was that?" he asked, baffled, and Rukia slowly touched her hand to her Zanpakutou's hilt, puzzled by the spirit's words. Toushiko sighed and let the sheen of Deep-magic fade from her fingertips, withdrawing her awareness from the thrumming web of her unseen world of winter and storm.

"I am the North Star, the guiding light of the heavens." she said after a long moment. "Of all the Cardinal Kenmeinarei spirits, I am the steadiest and the calmest. The Sun and Moon both rise and set, and the Earth spins like a top while appearing still, but only the North Star shines quietly and never moves, raging in the distance - so far away that nobody can see the fury with which I burn. Therefore, I am the one who guides those who are lost, or in need of direction."

She looked up.

"I am the compass of the Kenmeinarei." she said, musing thoughtfully. "And as a spirit connected to winter, Sode no Shirayuki wanted advice. I gave it."

Rukia stared.

"My Zanpakutou…wanted advice from you?" she asked blankly. Toushiko shrugged, lowering her gaze.

"I will not pretend to understand her intentions - only that she wishes for you to become strong." Her tail lacerating the snow, Hitsugaya stood up, wings rustling restlessly. Rukia looked unsettled by that revelation.

"But…why would a Zanpakutou spirit go to someone else for advice?" she asked, brow furrowing. Hitsugaya sighed, Hyourinmaru's helpful rumbling in the back of her soul lending her a unique perspective. And suddenly, something made sense.

"Do you understand yourself, Rukia?" Toushiko asked after a long minute. "Because if you aren't sure, then neither is Sode no Shirayuki."

The four shinigami standing in the snowy clearing by Hitsugaya's side stared in confusion, and she just shook her head, her hip-length hair swinging free. A glimmer of white light still laced her brow, a faraway look in her eyes. Somehow, in that moment, she seemed cold and remote, a distant pinprick of glossy light forever out of one's grasp.

"You are human souls." Hitsugaya said after a moment, her voice laced with something melancholy. "You were not born alongside an ancient spirit thousands of millennia old - your Zanpakutou are born when you are born and die when you die. That is why Bankai is so rare among shinigami, because it requires an innate understanding of yourself beyond that which I must search for. And your Zanpakutou must search with you. But I, simply by virtue of my bond with Hyourinmaru, am defined by him. He chose my spirit because I am his human mirror - and since he never changes, I must only understand who he is to know who I am meant to be."

Rukia blinked.

"So…you're saying that a true Zanpakutou spirit must mature along with its wielder, otherwise Bankai can never be achieved. And because you are the living embodiment of an element very similar to Sode no Shirayuki, she went to you for advice."

Hitsugaya nodded, pleased by Rukia's simplification of her explanation.

"Essentially, yes." the young Tamashino spirit hummed cheerfully, the tips of her pointed ears twitching, her tail still flicking absently back and forth. Suddenly, she looked Rukia straight in the eyes, her lips twitching.

"Sode no Shirayuki wants you to get stronger." she said with a grin. "And I must say, I quite agree. After all, if I'm going to be have a large soft spot for the Kuchiki clan when I become queen, then the head's sister has to be able to kick some serious butt."

Hinamori and Matsumoto both ducked their heads, smiling at the casual manner in which Hitsugaya handled the upcoming battle with the Royal Family's champion. She was talking like she'd already won. Rukia, for her part, also noticed this confidence and replied in kind with a flash of violet willpower.

But only Ichigo, who was busy observing his petite girlfriend's face, saw the sparkle of anxious fear glimmer deep in those green eyes.

* * *

 **REVIEW! Please... *puppy eyes***


	35. One Glass Teardrop

**A/N: YAY! I MADE IT THROUGH A SEMESTER OF DEATH AND PAIN! (college is killing me slowly and torturously) T.T**

 **But anyway. FLUFFY, YAY!**

 **(Will be sorta important later, I promise)**

 **Also: PLEASE VOTE ON MY POLL. 10 responders is still sad. And I REALLY need to figure out which of these things I'm going to write next. (there's a Fairy Tail one in there now, btw)**

* * *

Ichigo could barely keep pace, even with his advanced levels of Shunpo. Toushiko bounded through the evergreen pines like a wild thing, her supple wings beating with every leap she took, stretching her loping bounds by unimaginable amounts. Her tail, long and as white as her hair, whipped around at lightning speed as she changed directions, the razor-sharp, crescent-moon shaped barb on the end slicing effortlessly through the branches. Severed pine needles fluttered softly to the floor behind her.

Suddenly, the diamond and platinum diadem on her head caught the light and the shimmer of power cloaking her became marginally less visible. Ichigo sighed, putting on another boost of speed in order to catch up with his girlfriend, and tried very to avoid thinking of how __irresistable__ the traditional Kenmeinarei garb made the young woman look. The long flaps of fabric which formed her skirt - or was it even a skirt if it didn't have sides? - were caught between her powerful legs, exposing the tops of her golden thighs all the way up to the gleaming platinum belt clasping the scant garment around her waist. And the sash of palest-blue and silver and white cloth that she wore over her breasts wasn't exactly a modest garment either - not that Ichigo was __complaining__ , per se…

It was just…he would admit to being confused by Toushiko's revealing clothing. She wasn't exactly the type to flaunt the curvy little figure that was usually masked by a conservative shihakusho. While it was true that she was indeed of the sweetest types of eye candy in such an outfit - he wasn't staring at her legs, __really__ \- it didn't fit her typical reserved air. Surely she'd know that he was barely holding back a nosebleed thinking about how close he was to jumping her?

Suddenly a soft brush of a chilly breeze nipped at his cheeks and Ichigo broke from his thoughts to find that a smirking Toushiko had slowed to run beside him, her emerald glance both mischievous and knowing.

"Quit thinking dirty thoughts about me." she said slyly, her voice cool. Somehow she made the frosty sort of glamour hotter than lava, and Ichigo fought to control a furious blush, but gave in and fired back just as confidently.

"Then quit being so sexy __all the damn time__." He replied, fighting hard to control the urge to reach out and __touch__ …mostly because he didn't want to be flipped into the nearest tree, and because he'd promised himself that he'd wait until he was married to do anything crazy. Toushiko turned the expected shade of rose-gold, scowling at him with just a hint of huffy, embarrassed muttering. He grinned at the typical response, then reached out and laced his fingers through her smaller ones, the chilled feel of her hands only mildly unusual for one so used to dating Seireitei's resident ice-master.

"Oh wait - not possible for you." he said, still with that wide smirk. Toushiko promply pushed him, and at the speed that they were going, it meant that he had no time to dodge out of the way of the tree that __mysteriously appeared__ in his path.

Ichigo peeled his face from the bark with a scowl, Toushiko's schadenfreude laughter pealing cheerfully in his ears. The young woman was sitting on the ground, her tail flicking from the base of her spine in time with her laughter, smiling at him with that sly glint in her too-green gaze.

"Ooh, that was a good one!" she snickered, still smirking, and Ichigo very carefully detached his body from the splat-shape where he'd run at full tilt into the wooden trunk, still scowling.

"Was not." he grumbled. "You just sat here and watched me run into a __tree__."

"Yes, and?"

"I gave you a __compliment__ just now, I hope you realize."

"Calling me sexy isn't a compliment."

That gave Ichigo pause. He blinked, tilting his head as Toushiko glanced half-apologetically away.

"...why not?" he asked, puzzled. "You're gorgeous, wicked smart, a wicked smart- _ _ass__ , and more courageous than pretty much everyone else I've met. What about that isn't sexy?"

Toushiko blinked at him, mirroring his puzzlement with a pair of large green owl-eyes. She opened her mouth, paused, then closed it again with a soundless snap, apparently wordless. The Quincy-Hollow-human-shinigami hybrid sighed, wondering for a moment if Toushiko had ever thought of an entire person - personality included, duh - as being sexy before, or if she'd only heard the word in context of sex-obsessed idiots hoping to get laid.

If the baffled look she was giving him meant anything besides _'_ _ _are you kidding me'__ then he'd just hit the nail on the head.

"Uh…my intelligence is…sexy?" she repeated.

And, bingo.

"Hell yeah." he replied, completely straight-faced. "So is your determination, and your personality. You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you __all over__ right now."

Toushiko quirked an eyebrow, and to her credit, her face only turned __slightly__ crimson.

"...why don't you?" she asked softly. Ichigo cracked a wry grin.

"Because I wouldn't be able to stop myself there." he admitted sheepishly, looking somewhat like a kid trying to repress the urge to eat chocolate cake on their birthday. "I know __exactly__ what I'd end up doing to you, and I wanted to wait until I was married, to be honest."

Toushiko regarded him for a long moment, a whisper of cautious cool wind tickling Ichigo's cheekbones. She seemed to be turning something over in her mind, the long white trail of her icy hair pooling on the earth she sat on. Then, slowly, she looked up, a flash of wavering, vulnerable fraility in those shockingly green eyes.

"...what if I didn't care?"

For a long second, Ichigo stared, unable to believe what he was hearing, and then he spluttered to life.

"You __can't__ be serious-"

"Ichigo."

His name on her lips was enough to silence the tirade threatening to spill out, and he bit down on the raging tide of words. Hitsugaya was looking at him, the fear he'd seen earlier starting to spread over her golden face. Her tail twitched warily, the feathers on her wings wilting in close to the muscled limbs, which pressed close to her spine in an unusual display of terror.

Her emerald eyes were pleading.

"Ichigo…I…If I lose…" she whispered, her fists white-knuckled by her sides. "If I lose, I…I wouldn't want that to be my first time."

And suddenly, Ichigo found that he couldn't say anything. His heart dropped into his stomach, a vast chasm of yawning dread pooling in his gut. Slowly, he stood, then offered his hand to the young ice-wraith sitting still on the ground and helped her to her feet. The loincloth-like garment rippled like water as she stood, the long strips of pale, pale blue and silver and blinding white silk soft against that golden skin. The shaded evergreen forest was quiet, wind rustling the branches to create a soothing susurration in the background.

And then Ichigo drew the young woman close, winding his arms around her bare waist to sink his fingertips into her hips. She sucked in a sharp breath, clearly not expecting the low touch, and Ichigo took advantage of her distraction to duck down, pressing his lips to a soft spot just beneath her jawline and gently suckling there. Toushiko tensed sharply, going completely still, and her hands came up between them, resting nervously on Ichigo's strong chest. And the carrot-top backed away, leaving a distinct hickey on Toushiko's neck, a knowing smile on his face. His hands came up to cup his girlfriend's tense, nervous cheeks, his fingers tenderly rubbing up against the supple points of her ears. Her hands were still on his chest, acting as a sort of barrier between them.

"Toushiko…" he said softly. "You know as well as I do that you don't want that yet, and you just proved it."

Her wide-eyed expression of complete helplessness hardened into icy ferocity.

"I know __exactly__ what I want, thank you very much." she said forcefully, and Ichigo nodded, his brown stare turning into granite.

"You want to spite the Royals." he said, raising an eyebrow. "Not to get initimate. I'm not entirely stupid."

Toushiko's glare darkened, her temper crackling to life, but the red burn of shame spread across her face and she averted her eyes. Ichigo gently rubbed the pad of his thumbs over her cheeks and brought his forehead to touch hers until he was so close that he was swimming in the depths of that cool jade stare.

"It's okay." he murmured to her. "Neither of us are ready to take that step yet. But you need to have more faith in yourself. You'll spite the Royal Family by kicking their champion's ass into orbit."

Toushiko let out a slight chuckle, her voice sounding weak.

"I'm scared, Strawberry." she admitted finally, the admisson burning her throat and tongue. And Ichigo just held her tighter, ignoring all the ice she could muster up, his forehead still pressed to hers, looking down at her with no judgement - only very warm understanding.

Suddenly a soft whistle disrupted their moment, and a tall trio of Kenmeinarei spirits stepped out from thier hiding places in the trees, gazing at the couple standing on the earth with something like mild amusement and careful consideration in their multicolored eyes.

The first of these three Kenmeinarei was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark skin almost the color of ashen charcoal and eyes as vivid scarlet as poppies. His hair was a deep, dark black tinged with deep ruby in a solitary braid down his muscular back and he had the Deep-Magic tattoos in deep, ember-like maroon, dark orange, and dark grey twisted like molten lava over his skin. A pair of leathery wings and a sharp, scaly tail in brilliant bloodred and darkest grey spread from his back, almost perfectly complimenting the red, grey and orange loincloth he wore about his lower body, clasped with an ornate gold belt.

The second of the three was also tall, but her body was willowy and her skin a deep coppery-brown that brought out the bright sapphire-sea-blue of her eyes. Her hair was wavy beyond reason, and curled down her back in endless violet undulations. Her tattoos and garments were in various shades of deep blues and purples, accented with softly-polished silver accents much unlike the brilliant hard gleam of Toushiko's icy platinum. A pair of finlike wings in deep indigo with delicate sea-green webbing were folded neatly against her back, her scaled tail also sporting a ruffle of this same green sea-spray fin-webbing.

The third of the three, however, was shorter than his two companions, and sported a myriad of vivd green and rich brown tattoos all over his pale, slightly pink skin. His hair was long, matted into dreadlocks, and a brilliant wheat-yellow. His wings were also folded and nearly iridescent-green and sunshine-yellow, the dragonfly-like design of them making it difficult for their colors to stay static. A whippy, furry brown tail waved playfully out from underneath his copper-belted green and brown loincloth. It was this one that spoke first, honey-golden-brown gaze warm and fixed kindly on both Ichigo and his petite girlfriend.

"Well handled, shinigami-man." he said with a friendly wink. "I didn't expect that out of a mortal soul - they're usually in such a hurry."

A rumbling sort of laugh echoed from the ruby-eyed man by his side, the sound like a smoldering, simmering volcano waiting to erupt with bubbles of bursting lava. His teeth - fanged canines, Ichigo noted absently, like almost every other Kenmeinarei spirit he'd seen thus far - were strong and white and made his smile brilliant. And the spiraling tattoos over his dark skin practically glowed.

"Well, do consider that young North is by his side, East." the deep ruby-black braid of the unknown spirit's hair brushed over his muscled back as he spoke, his voice powerful and deep. "North has always been unwilling to consider mates without strong moral compasses - it looks as if this incarnation is the same way."

 _ _East?__

The realization hit Toushiko before Ichigo understood exactly what the brief address meant, and she twisted from his grasp with a flurry of cool wind, her wings fluttering on her back in small white-and-grey half-beats. She stared, the platinum diadem upon her snow-white head a paltry half-tiara compared to the wreathes of precious metal crowning these three newcomers. The woman with hair like amethyst smiled at the young Tamashino spirit, her blue-blue eyes shining.

"We apologize for eavesdropping, North." she dipped the silver-crowned ripples of violet with the deference due to an equal. "The Wildfire spirit, Akaen, told us of your whereabouts."

Toushiko nodded once, shallowly, then relaxed. Ichigo glanced down at her in concern, noting the lazy twitching of her razor-sharp tail and the slightly-aggressive posture of her stance with a hint of puzzlement. Why was she on edge?

"I understand." her voice was cool and brisk, slightly distant, but she slipped her fingers into Ichigo's and gave a gentle, reassuring squeeze as if to calm his concern. "But I do not approve."

"Your pardon, North." the pale young man was speaking again, his voice still very friendly. He smiled sheepishly, the yellow dreadlocks of his long hair falling haphazardly over his face. "None of us meant to intrude. We merely wished to speak with you and arrived at precisely the wrong time."

Toushiko raised a white eyebrow as Hyourinmaru snorted in her head, his voice derisive.

 _"_ _ _He seems like he's standing still when he's spinning so fast you'd be nauseated."__ the dragon said with a sigh. _"_ _ _And yet there's something about his personality that pulls you in despite his deceptions, though South is much, much better at that latter part."__

 _"_ _ _Gravity, maybe?"__ Toushiko replied to her Zanpakutou with a dose of liberal sarcasm, realizing that the metaphorical parallels of each of the Four Cardinals' personalities could be intepreted much more literally than she was expecting. Hyourinmaru laughed appreciatively.

 _"_ _ _Perhaps, little one."__

"Somehow I don't believe you." she said aloud after a moment. Earth's face crumpled, but then he laughed easily, a rougish twinkle in his honey eyes.

"I always did like you." he said. The two other Kenmenarei with him rolled their eyes. Toushiko groaned.

"You said you wished to speak with me." she stated flatly, her fingers still intertwined with Ichigo's. "So speak."

"You are attempting to usurp the Royal Family of Seireitei." the woman explained simply, her blue eyes narrowing. "If you are successful, their Aspect will join with the Aspect of the North Star, making you the only Kenmeinarei spirit to have two Aspects - something that is ordinarily impossible."

Ichigo bit his tongue, swallowing the __why?__ that wanted to come out of his mouth in favor of a stammered half-question.

"I don't understand why it's impossible…" he winced at the rising intonation of his voice which made the statement sound so like a question, but Toushiko glanced back at him with a wry grin, her fangs gleaming in the dappled winter sunlight.

"Kenmeinarei spirits are, for lack of a better term, __born__ from their Aspect." she explained patiently. "For example. If the concept of Winter, North, or Wind did not and could never exist, neither would I. But since those concepts __do__ exist, so do Hyourinmaru and I."

Ichigo blinked, trying to wrap his head around that, then cocked his head to the side.

"Then how the hell does the Royal Family have an Aspect if they're not Tamashino Kenmeinarei or- goddammit, that wasn't supposed to be a question." he caught himself halfway, but Toushiko just bit her lip and tried to keep from laughing. The jade of her eyes was dancing with mirth, and with a raised eyebrow she cut her gaze at the three other Cardinal spirits standing stricken in front of her.

"It's a start." she teased. "But the question is valid. I think it's because their Aspect is specifically tailored to fit with their bloodline's existence. They've lost the Tamashino Kenmeinarei blades, but if I defeat them in the Trial of Two Blades, then that Aspect will be mine for the taking whenever I complete my First Flight and it will then become hereditary for me."

She tipped her head up to examine the three Kenmeinarei in front of her, unblinking.

"That is, at least, my theory." she stated. The three Cardinal spirits exchanged long-suffering looks, but finally the ruby-eyed man laughed and gently flicked Toushiko's golden face with his scaly tail.

"Astute as always, little North." he said, the deep rumble of his voice heady. "You're quite right. The issue, however, is making sure that you know that for this Aspect not to fuse with that power that is of the North Star, you will have to mate in your Kenmeinarei form, which will lock the Royal Family's Aspect out of your personal powers and permanently link it to your mortal side. Otherwise the two Aspects will fuse upon your reincarnation and destroy the balance which the Four Cardinals maintain."

The instant pink flush that warmed Toushiko's cheeks was sudden and endearing. She swallowed.

"...Um."

"Taiyouhi, __now__ look what you've done!" the tall woman glared disapprovingly at her companion, her arms folded over her chest. "The poor fledgling hasn't even flown yet, for the Moon's sake, and you're already talking to her about having kids when you __know__ what the current throne of Soul Society does to the Tamashino."

"I'm deeply sorry for my rash behavior, West."

"No you're not!"

"I swear on the fire of-"

"If you say 'the fire of my sunny soul' one more time, I will __drown__ you."

"Harunoshio, my dear Western darling, you __really__ must learn to appreciate my spontaneous nature."

While the South and West spirits bickered gently with each other, the East grinned at Toushiko helplessly.

"Anyway." he said cheerfully. "The point is - your soul is mortal. So, odds are, you're going to choose another mortal soul as your mate, and most mortal souls aren't Tamashino. And no mortal soul can keep up with the mating battle of a Kenmeinarei spirit, but they'll have to for at least long enough to win you over."

Toushiko swallowed, shifting from one foot to the other, her tail twitching restlessly over the frost-crisped earth, and slowly the barbed end slipped around Ichigo's ankle. The substitute glanced down at her in surprise, not expecting the possessive touch, then sighed, made a split second decision, and pulled his hand from his girlfriend's grip. With his arm free, he was then more than capable of draping that arm around Toushiko's golden waist, pressing her petite back flush against his front. The soft ridges of her wings pressed into his chest and stomach with gentle warmth.

"There must be some way a potential suitor can get around that particular obstacle." he said, a bright sort of confidence in his voice. Toushiko blinked owlishly up at him, taken aback by the decisive surety in his tone, a rosy flush of shocked pleasure spreading across her face. Ichigo winked down at her.

"Oi…" she mumbled, and was promptly silenced with a chaste kiss.

"Nope, shut up. I like you." Ichigo pulled back after a moment and scolded, his lips twitching. "Your intelligence is sexy, remember?"

Toushiko's jade glare became huffy, the embarrassed blush on her cheeks turning brilliant scarlet.

"We've only been dating for a few months, you know." she said. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"You mean almost half a year?"

"Same thing."

"Doesn't mean I can't take it seriously - I mean, I've already won over Akaen and Yamamoto-jii."

There was a brief, sullen silence from Hitsugaya's end of the argument, and Ichigo smiled in spite of himself, knowing that he'd won the argument for once. The East spirit watched them with amusement, South and West still bickering in the background. Then the stocky blond spirit extended a hand, palm up. Dark, forested colors in earthy greens and browns began to swirl around his fingertips, and a few moments later, a simple pendant necklace lay in his palm. The strap was made of worn, pliable leather with silvery clasps, and the pendant was a curiously clear teardrop of glass.

The pendant's arrival silenced the quibbling of Taiyouhi and Harunoshio, and the West spirit turned her face to East, pouting, her coppery skin and blue eyes shining.

"Ryokuchi, you were supposed to wait for us." she complained good-naturedly. The Eastern spirit just laughed.

"I didn't want to interrupt." he said with a smile. "Besides, North's mateling brought it up, and he does deserve to know of the requirements of a Kenmeinarei's mating rituals."

That effectively shut down the Southern and Western spirits' protestations, and East turned back to Ichigo and Toushiko with a that same friendly smile.

"I'll keep this brief." he promised. "We - South, West, and I - made this pendant to absorb and mix the reiatsu of the wearer with the most appropriate vein of Deep-magic. It will grant the wearer the ability to shift into a pseudo-Kenmeinarei form so that the dominance battle can be properly fought out."

Ichigo's chocolate stare gleamed, and he spazzed momentarily as Ryokuchi threw the pendant to him, just barely catching the leather strap before the glass piece shattered on the frozen earth. Toushiko stared at the other three Cardinal Spirits, her mouth slightly open in surprise. Taiyouhi inclined his dark head briefly, his deep-black-red braid fluttering slightly.

"These pendants were often given to Tamashino Kenmeinarei following their First Flight in order that they may follow Kenmeinarei rituals if they so wished." the South spirit's voice was a shivering bass. "In your case, North, we have made an exception for you and your mateling, given your scent compatability and the risks you will be facing shortly."

West laughed at the identical expressions of shock splayed across the couple's faces, her violet waves of hair rippling in the wintry sunlight. Then she made a strange gesture, as if she was trying to shoo away a skittish cat.

"Put it on." she ordered, her voice excited. "The sooner you put it on, the sooner you'll figure out your Deep-magic affinity."

Ichigo looked hesitantly at the necklace lying innocently in his palm, then turned his gaze to Toushiko. An orange eyebrow slid up his face, and his nose crinkled up as he clenched his fingers tightly around the smooth glass surface. The three spirits blinked in confusion at his hesitation.

"...Shira…I won't put it on if you think it's too soon."

The words obviously were forced, and Toushiko could see the pleading in his cocoa stare, but at the same time she felt strangely touched. Here was the only man she'd ever dated - __loved__ , __but that took a lot of bravery to admit__ \- asking her for permission to be a serious boyfriend. Because that's what this pendant meant, didn't it? It gave her significant other the means to essentially 'propose' in a traditional Kenmeinarei manner. And it was so crystalline clear that Ichigo __really__ wanted to be able to wear the damn thing, if only because it was - __sort of__ \- like a promise ring. But he was, instead of taking the initiative, __asking her permission__.

God, she loved this idiot.

"...Are you stupid?" she bit out, trying to control the rising flush on her face. Unconsciously, she shifted her feathered wings where they were pressed into Ichigo's warm front and winced as a few of the feathers pulled. "You're the one who said my smarts were sexy."

Ichigo's entire face lit up like a child gifted with a pound of chocolate, and with a brilliant laugh he slipped the leather strap around his neck. Then he nuzzled his face into Toushiko's wild white hair, mindful of the glistening tiara on her head. Without their noticing, the three Cardinal spirits quietly slipped away, their mission accomplished.

And slowly, the glass teardrop resting against Ichigo's warm chest began to darken.

* * *

 **A/N: Also, if you were wondering**

(Taiyouhi) Sun: summer, fire (dragon, male) South

(Harunoshio) Moon: spring, water (phoenix, female) West

(Ryokuchi) Earth: fall, earth (phoenix, male) East

(Hyourinmaru) North Star: winter, wind (dragon, female) North

 **Review, please!**


	36. Claim Your Crown

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS UNECCESSARILY FOUL LANGUAGE. BLAME THE ENTITLE ROYALS.**

 **A/N: Alright, with that out of the way...*squeal* And the Trial is about to start! God, I'm so excited for this part. There's gonna be some super cute stuff! This is the final part of the story, people! Woot!**

 **Which brings me to my next point - the poll. To the twelve responders; THANK YOU! To the other 100+ people following this story; ...please help? I'm actually asking for real help here, as my muse for each of these stories individually waxes and wanes pretty irregularly. It's easier to write when I know I'm writing stuff that people are going to read, ya know?**

 **And now...enjoy!**

* * *

Her stomach twisted and flipped like a seasick dolphin. She swallowed hard, looking around the vast, grassy field with some trepidation from her place hovering in the stands. She could see the Royal Guard inspecting shinigami as they nervously picked their way through the open Chokaimon and filed into the smooth stone seating of the large arena, their Zanpakutou sealed into their sheaths with reiryoku-laced wire, their reiatsu restricted by several seals. On a high platform on the opposite side of the field, a thick wall of dense kido shielded the Royal Family, each of whom looked bored by the steady stream of shinigami trickling in to watch.

The Trial of Two Blades was about to begin.

Hitsugaya drew one knee up to the soft swell of her chest, resting her head on the protruding bone of her kneecap with a slow sigh. Behind her and slightly to her left was Aizen, clear-eyed and keen, observing the wide plain before them with only slight interest. Yuuma, who stood at his father's side, was taking up most of the former captain's attention. For the past week, the father-son pair had been nearly inseperable, trying to converse as much as they could in order to grow closer. It was touching to see them so animated, although the shadowy guilt that haunted Sosuke's gaze would likely never fade.

 _"_ _ _Be calm, little one. You know who you are."__

Hyourinmaru's thrumming purr swept a rush of icy wind through her, and she felt her anxiety still and blow away, the memory of her reflection in a mirror reassuring her beyond all words. Frost tinged her lips and skin, she knew, but she felt more serene than she had in ages.

From where he sat at Rukia's side in the stands below, Ichigo's gaze burned on her skin, the desperate belief, pride, and wavering fear in those deep brown eyes an unfaltering source of hope. Toushiko looked up, the brilliant coral of her painted mouth curling into a still smile, and met her boyfriend's blazing gaze for a moment. But then the dragon's slow rage boiled over in her heart, directed in a shade of furious winter at the high dais upon which the corrupt monarchy sat. She closed her eyes, emptying her mind of any distracting emotion, then with a swift, silent motion rose to her feet.

Almost immediately, the soft, nervous chatter echoing faintly around the arena ceased, and on the dais across the field, the King stood as well, his deeply tanned face and coal-black stare locking onto the icy young woman standing serenely before him. Hitsugaya held the dark glare steadily, unblinkingly, her eyes half-lidded with impressive blankness. Beside her, Aizen noted his liege's sudden stillness with understanding, his hand on the mirrored hilt of his Zanpakutou.

Eventually, the King looked away, unable to bear the yawning depths of the wise tranquility reflected in Toushiko's eye sockets.

From their seats in the stands, the Captains of the Gotei 13 observed this exchange with both surprise and no little pride. That the coiling aura of quiet power that Toushiko had so effortlessly projected was potent enough to even turn the Soul King's gaze was no small feat. Yamamoto, however, focused more upon the young woman herself, analyzing her face and expression with an experienced eye. Byakuya followed the old man's gaze and frowned, wondering what the Soutaicho saw in the young captain's calm expression.

"All those from the Divisions who wish to watch have passed through the Chokaimon, Yamamoto-soutaicho. We will be closing the portal immediately."

The interruption by Senjumaru Shutara's sibilant voice was neither welcome nor unwelcome, but Byakuya found that his attention was drawn to the Royal Guard anyhow. Her long, dark hair fell straight down her back in a single rippling sheet of inky strands, partially blocking Byakuya's view. But Yamamoto turned his creaky old head and nodded politely at her, throwing an irritated glance in Kurotsuchi's direction as the mad scientist stood up and sidled out of his seat.

"Thank you, Shutara-san." he replied, turning back to watch the arena and the white-haired girl he had favored for so long. But Byakuya watched Kurotsuchi as the mad scientist ambled over to the dias on which the Royal Family sat, tapping a wrapped, cylindrical package against the kido. The package, after a moment, passed through the barrier harmlessly and the Queen picked it up and passed it to her son with a bored sigh.

Byakuya blinked in puzzlement, unable to see the reason behind Kurotsuchi's delivery, but then the Division Twelve Captain strode back through the Chokaimon just before it closed behind him.

Kuchiki Byakuya felt a sudden chill descend upon his heart, though for the life of him he couldn't say why.

* * *

There was a thick silence as she stepped lightly down onto the plain-like arena field, her hair dancing unbound in the soft winter breeze behind her like a wild white streak of snow. A flicker of impossibly powerful magic thrummed soundlessly in the air about her, and slowly the intricate, Celtic-knot-like pattern began to twist through the empty space in front of her as the Deep-magic binding her to the Trial of Two Blades began to take hold.

The King and Queen of the Royal Family exchanged nervous glances as the unbreakable current of otherworldly power permeated the rich, full atmosphere of their realm and snaked towards them. Then the King stood, raising his hands with fire burning in his cold black eyes.

"The Royal Family bids their champion to step forward." he commanded, and the Deep-magic did the rest. Ribbons of light swirled around both the Crown Prince, who looked appropriately anxious, and the large black box he had strapped to his back, and without a shiver of hesitation the young man leapt through the barrier and descended gently down to the field. His dark hair stood on end, the worry in his black eyes focused with laserlike intensity, and Hitsugaya regarded him carefully.

Oshiro Katsuo was perhaps a few years older than her, physically speaking, and as such he was also taller and larger, his shoulders broad enough to comfortably shoulder the black object he carried. A plain sword hung at his side, the blade finely crafted but devoid of the telltale reiatsu which would have proved it to be a Zanpakutou. Toushiko realized with a sudden start that she knew very little of how the Royal Family - Yuuma excluded - fought. Yes, she knew they stole Zanpakutou for their own use. But, because that was possible, did they not have their own Zanpakutou spirits? Their reiatsu was potent enough to indicate otherwise, but sealing another Zanpakutou spirit into one's soulscape was a dangerous task by its own merit - let alone if another Zanpakutou spirit was already present. She knew at the very least that there was potent Deep-magic kept alive by the current of their bloodline, but she had no idea if they could use it as a weapon.

But it didn't matter anyhow, she supposed.

Hitsugaya flicked her gaze calmly away from the prince, instead turning a keen eye upon the two remaining royals sitting upon the platform with identically bored expressions. Toushiko gazed blankly up at them for a moment, then tipped her head to the side.

"You cannot win against me." she said at length, a sort of cool pity in the piercing jade of her stare. "But I thought at least the current Royal Family would have enough courage to send out their King to face me."

At that Katsuo snarled, the worry on his face melting away.

"The Reiou is too good for the likes of you." he spat, "You're lucky enough to be facing me in this battle."

Hitsugaya raised a slender eyebrow, lips quirking in a smirk.

"I am a queen in my own right, Oshiro-san." she breathed out, her voice soft. "I am an empress of my element and a queen of my Aspect by the value of my soul. My title is not based upon worthless, stolen power. I would say that, if we are comparing the value of your blood and mine, that I stand above you."

Up in the stands, Ichigo sucked in a breath, trying hard not to grin at the pointed savagery of his girlfriend's casual insults. The Oshiro family tried hard to quell their outrage, but the general snickers beginning to spread throughout the stands invalidated their anger. Rukia elbowed him sharply, her violet stare disapproving. The newfound chill that radiated off her hands was unmistakable - Hitsugaya's odd version of advice the previous week appeared to have done some good.

"Have some bearing." she hissed. "If Toushiko manages to pull this off, you'll be dating a queen."

Ichigo grinned down at the midget ice wielder, absently clasping a free hand around the glassy pendant he wore, which was now a swirling mix of black, deep red, and pale silver.

"Oh, come on." he said. "That's a step __down__ for Shira, and you know it."

To his right, both Matsumoto and Hinamori shot him approving, knowing looks, clearly pleased by the compliment on the young woman's behalf. Matsumoto in particular seemed to approve, her blue eyes twinkling merrily beneath a crafty, match-making exterior shell.

On his left, however…

"Damn, Ichigo, I didn't know you had the capacity to be that smooth."

Renji's sardonic smirk clashed with his otherwise cheerful expression, and Ichigo glared at him with open annoyance.

"Why do you think I've got a girlfriend and you don't?" Ichigo shot back, lips twitching up in a grin as Renji's expression darkened with irritation, but then both boys fell as a pair of small fists smashed down on their heads.

"You two idiots!" Rukia screeched.

It took a moment for the three to quit with their senseless argument, but by the time they did the Aizens had approached, Yuuma first with his father close behind. Sousuke looked puzzled.

"Abarai-fukutaicho." he said, his voice wavering with uncertainty and no little sense of hesitancy. Renji's attention snapped onto the former traitor, his stance instinctively tensing, and Sousuke stopped a good distance away, aware of the lieutenant's hostility. Renji's glare was wary.

"What do you want?"

Aizen bit his lower lip, then sighed.

"You came over to greet these four, after they'd allied themselves with a woman plotting the overthrow of the Reiou." he noted, raising an eyebrow. "And yet nobody is even looking twice at you."

The meaning behind the former captain's words was understood almost instantly, and Renji relaxed a little bit, though his hand still toyed with Zabimaru's hilt. His tattooed brows knitted together.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho told everyone the truth of the Royal Family's repeated crimes in their quest for power." he said quietly. "I…I had no idea it was that bad. It caught almost everyone in Seireitei off guard. Ever since, most of the shinigami have been…sympathetic - to the point where they're covertly rooting for Hitsugaya-taicho."

Yuuma sprang forward, eyes wide.

"Then does everyone know about what happened to my Otou-san and…" he faltered, but Renji, understanding the boy's question and recognizing his connection with Aizen Sousuke with little extra thought, merely sighed.

"Yes." he said, a hint of an apology in his voice. His dark gaze drifted to rest challengingly upon Aizen's face. "It was the only way to move Hitsugaya-taicho's actions into the spectrum of 'justified' without creating a web of conspiracy theories and rumors larger than the one that already exists."

Sousuke winced visibly at that, then took a deep breath and steadied himself, his hazel glare burning a hole in the ground.

"I suppose that's for the best." he murmured after a long moment. "Hitsugaya-sama doesn't deserve the Gotei's ire because of me."

Renji stared, lost for words by this kinder, softer version of Aizen that so perfectly matched the one who was the Fifth Division Captain. Momo sidled up to the redheaded shinigami, her chocolate stare loosely tracking Aizen's movements.

"Weird, right?" she whispered, her voice low. "He's being totally genuine and it's been creeping me out for the past week."

Renji nodded, in a state of mild shock due to Aizen's devotion to the young woman still standing fearlessly down in the arena. Then he turned his attention fully to the ice-wraith down below, his throat tightening.

"It's starting."

The keen glint of crystal silver gleamed, Hyourinmaru's biting edge reflecting the chilled winter sun with a snap of shivering frost and ice. Toushiko stood motionlessly, Hyourinmaru's sheathed blade held before her in both hands. Katsuo faced her with a furious expression, but then glanced around at the full stands and raised his voice.

"Don't forget - I'm taking my prize from you the second you're defeated." he said, a smirk flickering over his pale face.

For the first time, the audience watching with bated breath saw a hint of stifled fear mix with the coldness on Hitsugaya's pretty face. She lifted Hyourinmaru's keen edge slightly, emerald glare flashing.

"I will not be defeated." she stated, her voice calm, but that brief spark of fear belied the underlying current of anxiety she felt, and Katsuo pressed his momentary advantage.

"Oh, you will be, you upstart __whore__." he snapped nastily. "And then I'll take you, as hard as I can until you're sobbing beneath me, and then, if you're a good bitch, maybe I'll forgive you for your arrogance."

The sheer amount of fury that passed across Ichigo's face registered just in time for both Renji and Rukia to pounce on the carrot-top. Ichigo thrashed in their grip, howling a string of obscenties at the prince with fury in his mocha glare, the Hollowifed dark fire of his reiatsu surging to twice the typical levels for captains.

"You son of a __bitch__ ; just wait until I get my __fucking__ hands on you!" he shouted, trying to writhe free of his friends' grip in order to __punch the disrespectful bastard's face in__ , but then a icy-calm command rang in the air.

"Ichigo, stop."

Toushiko's voice was no longer soft, but had curdled into something as chilling as a glacier, and as piercing at an icy winter gale. Her tone was still eerily calm, but dripped with treacherous wrath, ready at any time to explode into a blizzard of incomprehensible proportion. Something ancient and powerful, seething with slow bloodthirst, shone in her face.

"If you attack on my behalf, I will lose automatically." She said, the grating of shifting ice woven through her words. Then she smiled at the prince opposite her, and there was no kindness in her expression, only a dragon's awakening lust for battle. "Besides, I want my comeuppance."

Katsuo tensed unexpectedly, his mouth curled in a grimace, and drew his plain blade.

"You won't get it so easily." he warned, his voice low. The Deep-magic swirling between the pair ghosted lightly over the black box on his back, and he shivered, reaching for the cylinder wrapped in brown paper at his waist nervously. Hitsugaya's gaze flashed.

"We'll see about that." she sniffed, then stretched out an open hand and called out.

"I recognize thy champion and hereby declare the initiation of my challenge to thy family!" she cried, and the Deep-magic glowed brightly for a split second before vanishing with a puff of twinkling smoke. For a moment, nobody breathed, spoke, or blinked, spellbound by the momentary pause between the two fighters in the arena below, both of whom leveled their blades at each other with ferocity unmatched in their uneven gazes.

And then, in a blur of black and white streaked with deadly silver, both of them moved.

* * *

 **A/N: Please remember to review!**

 **And to the lovely guest reviewer from last chapter who left the advice - Thank you! I can see what you're saying about the description sometimes being overbearing. However, I don't really write to get the reviews, though they are nice. For me, it's the quality of writing that matters more. And since I'm one of those rare few people who actually liked** _Moby Dick,_ ***hides from legions of frustrated college kids who hate that book*** **my idea of good writing involves a lot of description. I hope it's not a total turn-off for those who enjoy a more action-oriented writing style.**

 **That's all, folks!**

 **~avtorSola**


	37. Building Storm

**A/N: Hey guys! First part of the fight!**

 **Please vote on my poll! (I'm probably going to be begging for votes on that for a while...)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ _Breathe in.__

The hiss of cooling air ended with a screeching cry, orange sparks flashing wildly as metal ground against metal with unyielding force. Toushiko gritted her teeth, her sword arm wavering slightly against the pressure of Katsuo's empty blade, and spun to her left, throwing the much larger man off balance for a second as he stumbled through the gap she'd left in the air.

 _ _Breathe out.__

She came out of her spin with a sweeping slash at the Crown Prince's momentarily unprotected side, her expression a careful mask of neutral boredom. But at the last second Katsuo turned, his dark eyes alight with fury, and in a blur of silver his blade was pressed up against hers, blocking her strike. With a surge of muscle, he shoved his smaller opponent away. Hitsugaya gracefully allowed the momentum to propel her, taking advantage of the reprieve to narrow her eyes and land lightly on her feet, observing the Crown Prince with distaste. Katsuo's Zanjutsu skills were on par with hers, that much was clear from their brief spar, but their styles differed just enough for her to have their advantage. Katsuo's stance and moves were meant more for fighting a stationary enemy, but that wasn't her typical modus operandi. Hitsugaya favored a dynamic, almost acrobatic style of fighting, one which combined a lot of sinuous, fast strikes with whirling dodges and leaping hakuda attacks.

In short, Katsuo was on the defensive, and it was clear that he did not appreciate it.

"Stay __still__ , bitch!" he spat, lunging at her again, and Toushiko performed an overly-flashy front flip over his blade, placing one hand on the dull side of his sword in midair and snapping out her foot with practiced ease, her heel connecting with the top of Katsuo's black head as she arched over. The prince, not expecting the swift smackdown, lost his balance and fell forward to faceplant in the dirt.

 _ _Breathe in.__

The box on his back rattled ominously, and Katsuo, wincing and grimacing again, stood back up, his pride cracked by the effortless takedown. Hitsugaya casually held out her blade, allowing a soft breeze to flutter her white haori and whiter hair. Her lips curled in a smirk, eyes ablaze.

"Why, am I going too fast?" she replied, the disdain in her voice clear. Katsuo snarled at her, suddenly sprinting forward at several times the speed she was expecting. She let out a sharp gasp, throwing herself to the side, eyes widening in shock as the prince's blade keened against hers again, then grunted with effort as she was forced to brace Hyourinmaru's length with her left hand. Katsuo grinned darkly.

"Oh, it just hurts you less if you don't move, that's all." he replied, some dark innuendo in his tone, but Toushiko just narrowed her eyes and ducked to the right, allowing Katsuo's heavier weapon to slide over her head as she ghosted down and reversed her grip on her Zanpakutou to drive the hilt into her opponent's chest. Her reiatsu flashed momentarily, reinforcing her attack, but even the tiny flicker was enough to turn the blow worthy of a Captain's skill. The distinct sound of bones cracking echoed over the wide plain, and several of the spectators flinched.

 _ _Breathe out. Very good.__

The prince staggered and swiped messily at the small woman, prompting her to vanish in a burst of crisp Shunpo until she stood out of the wounded man's immediate range. She gazed at Katsuo calmly, privately disappointed.

"If this is your best, then the Royal Family is even more fraudulent than I was expecting." she said coolly, adjusting her grip on Hyourinmaru's cloth-wrapped hilt with a careless loosening of her fingers. Katsuo just looked at her, his previous temper oddly gone, and stood there wiping a droplet of blood from the corner of his lips. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow in askance, puzzled by the sudden change in his demeanor.

Then the prince sheathed his sword, and she got __really__ confused.

"I underestimated you, woman." he said suddenly, his dark eyes unnaturally bright. "It seems that you are indeed the wielder of a dragon, unlikely though it may seem."

Hyourinmaru's insulted snarl reverberated inside her head, and she winced, the bloodlust of her soul-partner spilling into her own in a clashing thunderhead of anger. Her reiatsu flared into the visible realm, barely suppressed to a level only twice that of a normal Captain. The audience, feeling the cold, dense pressure weighing heavily on their pores, gasped in shock. Low murmurs, exclamations over Hitsugaya's power, rustled through the crowd like drying leaves.

Katsuo watched her with dark eyes gleaming, then sighed faintly and raised his hands. The shade of ferocious worry was back in his face, not directed at the woman before him but rather inward, as if he was terrified of himself. The black box on his back suddenly became nebulous around the edges, a smoky haze of pitch darkness blurring its crisply defined edges. A few lines of pulsing black stained his skin, slowly growing darker and more intricate as the tattoos matured.

Hitsugaya froze as the telltale tattooed patterns of a matured connection with the Deep-magic crept over her opponent's skin. The shinigami watching said nothing, only looked on in bafflement as the Tenth Division Captain tensed visibly, her golden skin turning a shade lighter. Katsuo moved gingerly, testing his tattooed limbs with slow, deliberate movements, as if the application of the dark power on his skin had somehow strained his entire body. Then he __glared__ , his gaze oozing sinister darkness.

"I will no longer pare my skills down to be on your level." he hissed. Then he flickered entirely out of existence.

A sonic explosion ripped the silence apart, and with a screaming howl of wind in her ears Toushiko flew backwards, the earth fracturing and tearing beneath her as she tumbled away. Her friends' cries of fury and fear from the audience was muted in her ears, a sudden rush of pain blotting out her conscious thought as the ground caught her, putting a stop to her backward flight through the surface of the field. A deep furrow had been gouged into the earth where she'd been sent flying, and she twitched from her crumpled state at its terminal point, half-dazed with shock.

She hadn't even seen Katsuo __move__ , but yet her abdomen felt as if it had caved in on itself and she lay in a heap over a hundred yards from her original position. Suddenly there was a hand fisted in her shoulder-length white hair, and a soft whimper escaped her as Katsuo dragged her into a more upright position. Blood leaked in copious amounts from one corner of her mouth.

With a surge of icy willpower, she forced herself to ignore the pain and lashed out, catching the unsuspecting prince off guard for a moment and managing to slice a superficial gash in his cheek before he was out of her range in yet another unseen flicker of speed. Toushiko collapsed forward onto her hands and knees, puking blood, her emerald stare wide in confusion.

Katsuo merely looked at her, smirking.

"You can't see me move." he stated casually, as if the statement were simple fact and not a bloody __miracle__. "You're wondering why, aren't you?"

Slowly, the ice-wielder staggered back to her feet, a haze of healing kido reinforced by Deep-magic woven around the hand pressed to her collapsed stomach. She snarled wordlessly, the kido doing its work to numb the pain and heal her enough to fight again. Katsuo chuckled.

"You can't see something that you don't know is coming." he said, still smirking that infuriating smirk. "That should suffice for now."

Toushiko panted, but drew herself upright, eyes ablaze, and called upon her own power.

"Reign over the frosted heavens. Hyourinmaru!" she growled, abandoning all pretense and flaring her icy power to its fullest. The wings of ice, more finely crafted than ever before with detailed individual feathers, shot from her spine in flexible crescents of frosted rime, and the long, sinuous tail unfurled with a hissing of crystallized ice dust. Ice crept over her chest in overlapping plates of durable armor, and upon her head frozen spires of the clear material hardened into a gleaming tiara. Behind her, lotus flowers of ice bloomed in staccato bursts.

Frost crept over her skin, her temper cooling into glacial fury, and the sky darkened with storm clouds. Thunder cracked like a whip, the booming reverberations resounding across the field for miles. Blue bolts of lightning snapped from cloud to black cloud in ominous, ponderous threat. Icy reiatsu glowed in a shimmering coat over Toushiko's golden tan.

"You can't see something that you don't know is coming?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous, her eyes flashing with stormy winter coldness. Her senses cleared up, the unnaturally keen sight, smell, and hearing of a dragon slowly pulled to the forefront of Hitsugaya's mind. "How adorably naive. Nothing can hide from a dragon."

Katsuo kept smirking at her, his dark stare revealing his arrogance for everyone to see.

"Ah, but you're in Bankai now, and I haven't even begun to reveal the Royal Family's true power." he said smoothly, the serpentine manner of his cockiness grating on Hitsugaya's nerves. But then her coral-colored mouth split, revealing a fanged grin, and she laughed aloud, raising her blade.

"I'm in Bankai?" she asked, realizing the fatal mistake that Katsuo had made. "Goodness me, how old is your intel on me?"

The prince started in surprise, confusion spreading across his face.

"But…the wings and tail of a dragon-"

A cold laugh from Toushiko cut him off in midsentence, and ice crackled across the vast plain that was their arena until the crust of glassy rime over the cold earth was an inch thick. It crunched sharply as Toushiko stepped lightly across it, power gleaming in the green crescents of her eyes.

"This is my Shikai, Oshiro-san." she breathed, the frosty coldness of her breath crystallizing on contact with the air and clinking to the icy ground in a sprinkling of icy powder. Hyourinmaru's keen edge glinted with cold rage as she raised her Zanpakutou, effortless confidence in her eyes. "Remember it well."

Katsuo barely had time to raise his hands to protect his face before icicles materialized in front of Toushiko's face and shot forward .

"Guncho Tsurara!"

The series of explosions of frosted dust and icy shrapnel where the flock of icicles impacted with the frozen ground were enough to cause the audience in the stands to cover their faces, the shockwave rushing over them with merciless fragments of ice. But Katsuo still stood amidst the icy craters, black energy wrapped tightly around his body. It retreated with a careful tug of his willpower, returning to the black box strapped to his back. He stared at his opponent with no slight trepidation now, the small scratches along his face and arms a testament to Hitsugaya's power. His eyes narrowed.

"You are much stronger that I anticipated, to be able to injure me through my shield." he said with a curious tilt of his head.

Hitsugaya smiled a vampiric smile, the sheer coldness on her pretty face enough to chill the blood of all watching.

"I am Hitsugaya Toushiko, the North Star, wielder of the Winter Dragon, Hyourinmaru. If you misjudge my strength, you will not live to see another day." she said, her voice cold. "Now, come."

The dark-haired prince growled low in his throat and once again disappeared from Toushiko's sight, another sonic explosion pealing through the air.

The air. Of course.

She closed her eyes, allowing the Deep-magic in her soul to bleed into the fabric of the world around her, and the wind responded. Suddenly she could __feel__ the sharp absence-presence of Katsuo's flashing footsteps, the air cracking around him as the sound barrier caved and broke. He sped in circles around her, waiting for an opportunity to strike, and then with perfect clarity lunged.

Even with her sense of __being__ spread through the wind, she still couldn't react fast enough to avoid Katsuo's fist as he slammed into her again, but she did manage to shift enough so that instead of crushing her ribcage, he dislocated her shoulder. She bit her lip on the screech of pain that threatened to escape her and slid to the left, knowing that this would be her moment to strike.

A spinning ring of frosted wind lashed around her and she focused with laserlike intensity on the absence of air that was Katsuo lunging past her.

"Ryusenka!"

She ducked just in time for the enormous blossom of ice to explode over her head and the pealing scream of agony to ring in her ears. She spun out from under the floating flower of ice, her right arm dangling limply and turned around to face the flower of ice. Katsuo was stuck half-encased in the ice, one arm and one leg sealed tightly inside the below-freezing prison. The beginning reddish flush of frostbite had already spread the prince's pale skin.

With a quick jerk and a muffled howl, Hitsugaya managed to pop her shoulder back into its socket. The icy plating over her chest, which had cracked from the force of Katsuo's punch, sealed back together. The cold quickly numbed the pain, making her sword arm once again usable. At almost the same time, Katsuo shattered the ice freezing his arm and leg, simultaneously shattering pieces of the brittle flesh which Hitsugaya's frozen reiatsu had corroded, leaving bloody gashes in the two limbs which she'd caught.

The dark eyes were wild with anger, and suddenly the Deep-magic tattoos on the prince's skin shifted. He spat viciously at his opponent, spitting blood.

"I was going to spare you." he snarled. "But you've gone too far, bitch. I'll __obliterate you.__ "

Hitsugaya snorted, unable to contain herself.

"Yes, because you've done so well at that so far." she said dryly. But then Katsuo went oddly still, raising his arms with a blank look in his black eyes.

"Shinigami." he said simply, a slight tremor in his voice, and Hitsugaya blinked, narrowing her eyes. But Katsuo didn't say anything more, and suddenly Toushiko felt sleepy and weak, her heart stammering, her breath weakening. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath and wondering __what the hell__ was going on. Hyourinmaru's tip pierced the iced-over soil, and frost trembled from the blade for only a moment before melting. Green eyes peeled up to meet a blankly-staring Katsuo.

"What…what did…" she wheezed, the world starting to go dark around her. She could feel her reiatsu draining away, Hyourinmaru's spirit receding. The wings, tail, and crown of ice on her head began to crumble into dust. In the stands, she could hear her friends screaming. Katsuo sighed, shaking slightly from both anger and…fear?

"This is the power which the Royal Family wields, much like other Kenmeinarei spirits." he said, his voice trembling. "Our power is Death. You cannot run from it, you cannot hide from it, you cannot even defeat it. Death takes everyone silently, and its presence is always lurking around the corner just waiting for you to misstep so it can sweep your soul back into the cycle of reincarnation."

Toushiko stared, trying desperately to process that before she lost consciousness, but her hand fell limp on Hyourinmaru's hilt and she crashed to the frozen ground, her cheek pressing firmly against the melting, grey ice. She could feel her power bleeding from her fingertips, her life bleeding from her heart.

And then…

" ** **Shiraaaaa!**** "

Suddenly, her lips curled up, Ichigo's cry resounding in her darkening world.

 _"_ _ _I told him I would win, didn't I?"__

She slowly clenched her hand into a fist, the slow thud of Katsuo's footsteps coming closer to where she lay fighting death, and allowed her eyes to close. Air filled her lungs as she breathed in, cold, pure air.

 _"_ _ _Stupid Strawberry…but you're right."__

The grin on her face split into a vicious snarl.

 _"_ _ _I won't lose here!"__

Her eyes snapped open, Hyourinmaru howling in her heart and she opened her mouth in a bloodcurdling roar.

"Bankai! **__**Daiguren Hyourinmaru!**__** "

For a heartbeat, nothing happened, the only result of her ferocious cry the echo resounding off the faraway white walls of the arena, but then she felt power uncoil in her chest and the world exploded in wintry storm. The sky howled madly, wind shrieking in unfettered insanity, the thunder-clouded heavens crackling with blue lightning. The air became charged, saturated with pure energy as the fog enshrouding Hitsugaya's petite frame began to roil with mutinous fury.

And then her world crystallized, her mind expanding, and suddenly Katsuo seemed very, very small, and very, very human.

In the stands, the captains rose to their feet, cries of shock escaping them. Ichigo felt his jaw fall off. Matsumoto, Hinamori, and Rukia pinched themselves frantically. And the King and Queen of the Royal Family turned pale. Queen Eiko reached a trembling hand toward her firstborn son.

"Katsuo, __dodge!__ " she screamed.

Toushiko opened her gemlike emerald eyes, turning her head carefully in the Queen's direction. The frills of white fur and scales around her head and neck shimmered with iridescent icy power, and she breathed out, frosted air puffing from her slitted nostrils.

"Calm yourself, human soul."

The lilting, enchanting music of her voice rang softly in the arena, and Hitsugaya took the opportunity to stretch her translucent, opalescent wings, the shifting radiance of the thin wing membrane pulling taut. She rose to her clawed feet, the bone white talons carving deep gouges in the iced plain. Her scaled tail twitched back and forth, the crescent barb on its end severing the wind neatly. A benevolent gleam came into those emerald eyes. The Queen fell faint at the sight. Katsuo, in the arena beneath her, stared up in terror.

"You're…you…"

The quaking in the prince's voice was clear, his black eyes wide. Toushiko looked at him in pity.

"This is what it means to be a Tamashino Kenmeinarei spirit, prince." she rumbled, the soft music of her draconic voice airy and light. "I will give you this one chance. Surrender now, and I will spare you."

The white dragon lowered her head, baring the ivory fangs, and spread her wings wide. Wisps of bluewhite icefire curled from the gaping mouth. The green eyes glinted like cold chips of sea-ice, pure bloodthirst gleaming shamelessly there.

"But if you choose to fight…I will show no mercy."

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 **So? What did you think? Leave a review to let me know!**


	38. (Intentional) Accident (Reprise)

**A/N: Alright people! This is the third to last chapter before the epilogue! HELL YEAH!**

 **So, bit of a plot twist at the end of this chapter. Maybe. I know at least one of you has already guessed it, and I sent you a nice, misleading PM to try and throw you off track. Hopefully you don't hate me too much.**

 **But anyhow...ENJOY!**

 **And please vote on my poll. I'm sorta drowning in story ideas here, and now I'm also writing an original story, and I've finished all of Soul Eater and story ideas are starting to spin around in my head for that anime/manga as well...God, I'm a mess.**

* * *

A stunned silence settled thickly over the arena. Spectators watched in awe and reverence, a few even falling to their knees in the presence of such a powerful creature. For standing benevolently in the center of a thick plain of ice was a white dragon with eyes like winter emeralds and scales like shining snowy diamond. The atmosphere around the dragon was heavy with ancient power and effortlessly cold wisdom, the yawning knowledge in the beautiful stare both enchanting and terrifying. The current Crown Prince of Soul Society stood helpless beneath that inescapable glance, the tattooed Deep-Magic spilling across his skin in inky black fading slowly to pale, ineffectual grey.

The scaled, barbed tail hissed as it skimmed lightly across the frosted ground, a gust of wintry wind like a blade slicing through the still air as the overflowing magical energy bleeding through the magnificent creature's skin took form. The blade of wind shone white and fierce until it collided with the far wall of the arena, promptly demolishing the sturdy barrier as if it were made of rice paper.

The great jade eyes rolled, the slitted pupils thinning to mere lines of black in the haunting stare.

"Do I have your answer, Oshiro-san?" the dragon asked calmly, the lilting music of its voice a spell in itself. The prince took a desperate step backward, the black box on his back starting to fluctuate in shape. The fear on his face was clearly visible now, and fat droplets of sweat tickled down his cheeks, sizzling on the sub-zero plain of ice.

Byakuya gaped, floored by this final stage of Toushiko's power. Little wonder that the royal and noble houses of Seireitei coveted this power. Dragons - and phoenixes - were creatures of legend, immensely powerful and incredibly deadly to offend or upset. They were gods in their own right, benevolent unless provoked and wise beyond human comprehension, their understanding granted through some profound connection between their existence and the very world they ruled over.

And Hitsugaya Toushiko, the transgender Captain of the Tenth Division and the strongest ice-wielder in history, had just __turned into one.__

On the field, Oshiro looked panicked. The box on his back was violently shaking now, its shape distorting and reforming like living elastic. It almost seemed as if something - or someone - was fighting to get out of that box. Then the Queen spoke, her voice slow, her cold blue eyes wide with fear.

"Katsuo. Unleash it." She said, her voice trembling. Then her gaze turned dark, and she stood up, glaring at the white dragon before her. "I __refuse__ to lose my crown to this __beast__!"

The king looked at his wife in no little surprise, then sighed heavily and nodded at his son. His face was cold.

"I agree with the Queen." he said shortly, watching emotionlessly as Katsuo's dark stare filled with pure shock. "Unleash it. It pains me to admit that this lowly shinigami captain is worthy of our power, but it seems that this form is too much even for you alone."

The prince lowered his head, hands shaking, then glanced up at the dragon towering over him once more. His eyes hardened into coal.

"As you wish, your Majesty." he replied. Then he reached back and placed both hands on the black box. The tattooed patterns on his skin evaporated, and the box on his back stilled abruptly. His reiatsu flared.

"Seal of the Phoenix Dragon: The Black Death's Awakening."

And with a sound like a baby's cry, the box simply __evaporated__.

Toushiko watched with no little curiosity as the prince drew his empty sword again, a deep, dark sort of hatred curdling his face. The silver blade in his hand hummed softly, as if suddenly alive with power, and the hilt turned an inky black. Katsuo glared up at her, glutinous hate in his black stare.

"You asked if I would surrender, did you not, dragon?" the prince hissed suddenly, and Toushiko was startled to find that the sound of his voice was hypnotizing. She cocked her head to the side, forcing her mind clear of the sleepy fog that threatened her. The luminescent pearl beneath her chin glowed softly, the frills of white on her neck caught in the chilly breeze. What had happened? Katsuo's reiatsu had spiked to levels she'd never seen in anyone besides herself before he'd hidden his power from her senses, and to be honest, that power-spike concerned her.

When she did not answer, the prince laughed, his voice high and cruel. In the stands, a few people keeled over, clutching at their heads and heart, and several more sank to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Death cannot surrender." He lisped, the words obviously amusing for him somehow. "Death cannot be defeated. Death cannot be avoided. You will die, and I will win."

Toushiko snorted at that, icy smoke puffing from between the massive ivory fangs lining her jaw, and she lowered her head with a predatory snarl. The white wings on her scaled back stretched magnificently.

"I highly doubt it." she purred drolly, the musical lilt of her voice turning cold with fury.

Then Katsuo leapt, his sword in hand, and Toushiko opened her mouth. Pressure coiled in her stomach and lungs, searing cold energy illuminating the edges of the scales on her neck and chest in pale blue light. And then she roared, pale bluesilver fire erupting from her gaping jaws in a plume of frozen flame. Katsuo Shunpoed to the side, the sword in his hand slowly blackening, and Hitsugaya whipped her head around to follow him, the torrent of raging dragonfire withering everything it touched. Ice bloomed in the wake of her icefire's passage, white ice so pale and translucent that it seemed that starlight hung frozen in the frosty depths.

Her breath ran out, and the scarred earth lay black, permafrost staining the once grassy field. Katsuo took the opportunity to lunge for her again, a strange shadow coiling around his blade now, the markings of Deep-magic once again spreading over his skin. Toushiko snapped at him as he dove by, then lashed out with her razor-sharp tail, the crescent-shaped barb on the end catching the prince's blade before he could pierce the membrane of her wing. The force of her blow threw him back to the ground, his sword ringing, but an insane smile split his face and he charged again.

Her deadly claws cracked the iced ground, and she roared a second time. The wind picked up, swirling around her in a vortex of spinning blades, the lightning-laced thunderclouds overhead beginning to follow her will. The audience watched in horror as the clouds began to funnel down towards the earth, the howling wind shrieking its roar alongside the white dragon's snarl, and Katsuo cried out in shock as the tornado touched down, sending ice slivers thousands of feet into the air, a dancing frenzy of small knives.

Toushiko could feel the Deep-magic's inaudible melody crescendo as she called upon the wintry power, and with a powerful beat of her wings she took to the skies. Wind and storm danced wildly around her, the building blizzard a symphony in her soul, and with an echoing, wordless bellow, she commanded the whirling, shrieking tornado of ice to pursue the prince. Bolts of lightning thundered down onto the plain, scorching the ice beneath them with electrical heat, and loosening more sharp, icy debris for the storm to carry high into the atmosphere.

Safely behind the wall of calm wind that protected them, the denizens of Seireitei watched in silence. The glowing dragon before them was not calm in the slightest, and her fury bled into the deafening noise of the storm around them. On the ground, pursued by wind, storm, ice, and lightning, Katsuo ran easily, the black creeping up the silvery shaft of his weapon an ominous threat. At the very least, Toushiko's perfected Tenso Jurin had disrupted whatever evil ability that Katsuo had used to afflict the members of the audience, but it seemed as if the massive scale of her attacks weren't effective against the zigzagging prince.

Ichigo felt his heart freeze for a moment as Katsuo's sword turned completely black, and in his head, he felt Zangetsu freeze as well. The Hollowfied Zanpakutou swallowed hard.

 _"_ _ _Queenie's in trouble."__ the Hollow hissed suddenly, his distorted voice abnormally clear. _"_ _ _That sword ain't normal - smells too much like Hell and Hueco Mundo."__

Ichigo concentrated on the sword's reiatsu, shivering when the sense of shrieking __nothingness__ and decay washed over him in waves. Fear struck him without warning, and before he knew what he was doing he'd moved a hand to Zangetsu's hilt, his knuckles white on the blade. He fought with himself for a long moment, struggling not to draw his Zanpakutou. And then Katsuo leapt, Hitsugaya howled, and both Aizen and Renji had to jump on him to stop him from interfering.

The thin membrance stretched tautly over Toushiko's left wing was in tatters, the delicate film crumbling at the slightest touch of wind. Shrieking roars of pain reverberated, Toushiko's movements becoming slightly jerky as she crumpled the injured wing to her side and landed heavily on the frozen earth. The prince's cruel laughter echoed hauntingly in the midst of the gale.

"Nobody can dodge Death!" he cackled, the dissolution of the black box clearly affecting his mind. "Nobody can block Death! No matter where you run, where you hide, Death will come for you! Nothing can stand against Death, the most powerful of the Elements!"

The prince appeared to ignore the slashes in his skin where the sharp shards of ice flung wildly about by the tornado's winds as he charged again, the sickly blackness of his sword piercing easily through the thick scales on Toushiko's tail, pinning the dragon to the ground. She thrashed, an earsplitting roar of fury escaping her throat, but Katsuo seemed possessed by unnatural strength. He held on like a madman, laughing all the while, then yanked his blade from her tail and raised it to the sky.

"Die, __Shinigami__!"

For a split second, everyone panicked, thinking that the war cry meant that the prince was about to deal a blow so devastating that death would be inevitable for the Tenth Division Captain, but then the black sword shivered and began to grow until an eight-foot scythe was quaking in his hands, black reiatsu leaking from the weapon.

And in that one moment, Hitsugaya felt everything crystallize and fall into place. She gazed at the vainglorious prince, melancholy so profoundly visible in the jade depths of her eyes that the storm calmed, revealing a pale, sad sky. Katsuo blinked in surprise. And Hitsugaya sighed deeply.

"My poor beta." she murmured, fixated on the Zanpakutou in Katsuo's hand. "Oh, Shinigami, what have they done to you? You were never meant to be locked in a blade like that."

The blade in Katsuo's hand shuddered again, drawing everyone's attention, and without warning the injured dragon lumbered around, gingerly lifting her tail, until she fully faced the prince before her. Anger once again began to spark in her eyes.

"Do you know what you have done?" she spat, icefire flaring from her mouth and freezing solid on the already glacial earth. "You've taken an unbound Kenmeinarei spirit and erased his very __being__ to provide your power! This is unforgivable!"

Katsuo drew himself up, black power seeping up his skin and staining half of his body entirely black. His coal eyes flashed as he sneered.

"The stupid phoenix laced the blood of the Royal family with his power." he hissed back. "As long as we're alive, his Aspect endures and doesn't have to do anything about his own job. He needed to __pay his due__."

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed to slits.

"I'm done playing with you then." she said coldly. "I was not going to kill you or your parents, but now I want __vengeance__."

Katsuo laughed again and slammed his scythe down into Hitsugaya's left wing, breaking bone.

"How?" he mocked. "Your power means nothing against me - your attacks have no focus!"

A grinning mouth of dragon teeth was bared in the man's face, and he flinched away for the first time since turning the black power of Shinigami into a Zanpakutou.

"Then I will narrow my focus." Hitsugaya hissed. And her dragon body began to glow. "Bankai: __Fukyuukai Daiguren Hyourinmaru.__ "

There was a hissing rush of air as the vast arena was suddenly embroiled in cloud cover, obscuring Toushiko's massive scaled body from sight for a moment, and then the world __exploded__ in ice. Katsuo shrieked as a wave of frozen rime threatened to crash over him, backpedaling away in a flicker of Shunpo, and the King and Queen slowly stood from their chairs, incomprehension on their faces.

The fog cleared, crystallizing into icy dust that sparkled beautifully as if fell to the ground, and the pair of strong, feathered wings spread high into the sky, unharmed. The pale sun glinted off the white and pale grey feathers and bounced to the platinum tiara, choker, and bracelets, where the chips of icelike diamond caught fire in the winter sun. White hair swung around exposed hips, long and loose, caught in places by half-braids studded with diamond ice and platinum wire.

Hitsugaya Toushiko stretched like a cat and grinned, baring her sharp fangs. She swept a strand of misplaced hair behind a long, pointed ear, then crouched low to the ground, running her palms across the smoothly frozen earth. A soft sigh escaped her.

Katsuo, like everyone else, stared speechlessly.

"You're…"

Green eyes glowed with concentrated power, the intense might of a dragon now compressed into a petite package with a short temper and a wickedly-sharp tail.

"I am Tamashino Kenmeinarei." Hitsugaya said simply, once again standing back up. "And I am a dragon in a human skin."

She raised her palms, the filigree patterns of icy bluewhite and palest stormsilver shifting sinuously over her golden skin, and she took a deep breath. The Deep-magic began to swirl around her softly, mussing her wild white hair and the loose loincloth which was belted around her hips with platinum. Katsuo watched in shock, baffled, and his mother cried out.

"Impossible!" she shouted, her ornate crown crashing to the ground. She didn't seem to care. "No human soul can manipulate the Deep-magic of the world with their bare hands!"

Toushiko rolled her eyes and bared her sharp white fangs. The pupils of her eyes narrowed abruptly to thin slits, giving her a ferocious, furious appearance more suited to a devil than a white-winged angel.

"I suppose it's good that I'm a dragon then." she hissed.

Her hair swirled as she threw her head back, gazing up into the pale winter sky, and began to shine. For a moment she didn't move, frozen by the cold purity of her power, and then she slammed her palms together over her head, her bare feet starting to tap out a quiet rhythm on the iced ground below, and __commanded__.

"Hokkyokusei!"

Far to the north, a ray of strong, cold light burst into brilliant existence, the stars beginning to twinkle powerfully overhead despite the fact that the sun had not yet sunk behind the horizon. Polaris gleamed brightly, the world's unerring compass hanging high in the atmosphere, and below, its conscious incarnation radiated cold power. Light flashed off her skin, the creeping ice on the vast plain around them beginning to thicken, the temperature of the air dropping steadily. Katsuo raised the Kenmeinarei-Zanpakutou in his hand in a panic, the massive scythe glinting darkly in the weak sunlight and the glowing radiance of the star in the heavens.

"Shisha!" he shouted, and suddenly a whirl of dark, quiet energy blazed from his form. Grass, already frozen, began to crumble under the spell as the whirling black magic spun outward, everything with even a shred of life withering and disintegrating under the decaying touch. But Hitsugaya made no move to dodge the magic, instead allowing it to wash over her and stain her golden skin with a deathly pallor. Katsuo cackled wildly as she was engulfed by his power, his head thrown back, a sly gaze wandering over the horrified stands.

"Here ends your former captain's treason." he announced with a smarmy sneer. Then a haughty cough came from within the black cloud, and the death-bringing magic spiraled apart, revealing an utterly unharmed Hitsugaya who was illuminated by pale wintry light.

"I assume by the ignorance of your attack that you know nothing of the power of the Four Cardinals, nor of the Alpha spirits who rule this world." she sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. The pale bluewhite and silver sash about her breasts shimmered, and her long hair danced in the growing breeze behind her. Katsuo gaped, openmouthed.

"How are you alive?" he asked after a moment, his hands shaking on his weapon. "The Kenmeinarei spirit in this sword is the Spirit of Death, from which nothing can escape."

Hitsugaya tossed her head, then glanced up at Ichigo with an aggravated scowl. In the stands, her boyfriend paused, then started laughing, realizing that she was annoyed by the prince's blatant rudeness in asking a direct question. She went a bit pink in the face at the sight of his mirth.

"I am the North Star, the ruler of the heavens, the compass of the world, and the empress of Winter." she snapped. "I am wind, I am ice, I am snow, I am storm. I'm a freaking __star__ for crying out loud, but more importantly, I am one of the Four Cardinal Kenmeinarei spirits. Which, in turn, means that I, as the Empress of the North, have ultimate dominion over __every element I can relate to.__ "

Katsuo began to pale, and Hitsugaya took a threatening step forward, snarling.

"Living things, for the most part, need air to keep breathing." she growled. "And living things die if they freeze. If my Aspect has the ability to cause death, I can most __certainly__ control the Aspect of Death. Perhaps not as well as Shinigami, but I can control Death nonetheless. This is the pinnacle of a Kenmeinarei spirit's power, when by their very nature they possess dominion over everything the human mind can connect with their existence. You were never a match for me."

Katsuo dropped the Zanpakutou on the ground at this revelation, his black eyes wide in shock. The King and Queen sank slowly to the white stone beneath their feet, the color draining from their faces. Hitsugaya took a soft step forward, the crown upon her white head gleaming. Her face was cold, no pity present in her icy gaze.

She stretched her hands out to the sides, and two icy-blue katana materialized in her palms, the keen edges glinting with arctic fury. With a swift, sharp movement, she had both of the swords lightly resting against Katsuo's throat, the razor-like blades drawing beads of blood to the surface of her opponent's skin.

There was a breath of silence as the prince stared at her in horror, finally contemplating defeat, but then something in his eyes changed, and he reached for the brown cylinder at his belt, ripping the paper off and hurling the fragile glass tube at Hitsugaya with unexpected force. The girl flinched in surprise, raising a blade. The glass flask shattered at the touch of the winter sword, a golden liquid splattering everywhere. Toushiko recoiled as the fluid splashed all over her skin, hissing in distaste at the acidic feeling. Then Katsuo began to laugh again, backflipping away from Toushiko's twin blades.

"We'll see about that, __Hitsugaya Toushiro__." he sneered.

Toushiko glared at the sound of her old name, hot fury rising in her chest, and took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger before she did something reckless.

But the heat didn't vanish. Instead it grew more powerful, more intense. Her hands began trembling, and her reiatsu started to fluctuate wildly, her control slipping. Pain lanced through her like white lightning, and she felt her Bankai splutter and fade, her Fukyuukai appearance disappearing in a puff of smoke. She collapsed backward, her entire body shaking, a penetrating, burning itch beginning to creep through her cells.

Green eyes widened in shock. She recognized this. She'd felt this itching burn before, all those months ago in the Twelfth Division when she'd been thrown headfirst into confronting her gender crisis.

Which meant that…

"NO!" she howled, writhing on the frozen earth as she felt her cells shifting, felt her bones shifting, hips narrowing, shoulders broadening. Her voice cracked, the chilly soprano shattering into a low baritone, and she crumpled in on herself, the sheer __wrongness__ of her changing body unravelling her self-confidence.

It took five minutes, but when the acidic awfulness of whatever that yellow liquid had done finally ceased to burn, she stayed on the ground, tears pricking in the corner of her eyes. Her reiatsu boiled, her ability to sense the Deep-magic fading no matter how hard she tried to fight it, the vast power of her Kenmeinarei soul leaking like a flood as she lost her balance. She could hear Hyourinmaru screaming at her, his presence seeping back into the confines of her mind as his power left her body.

 _"_ _ _Remember! Remember who you saw in Kyouka Suigetsu's mirror!"__ he cried, the rumbling of his voice a glacier, but she could feel their harmonic powers sliding out of balance.

Katsuo sneered down at her.

"And you call yourself a balanced Tamashino Kenmeinarei." he spat, black eyes glowing. "When you're not even truly __female__."

Ichigo ran to the edge of the stands, eyes widening as Toushiko staggered back to her feet. Around him, he could cries of shock as the transgender Captain of the Tenth stood, revealing what had been done to her. Her jawline was strong and sharp, her face chiseled and framed by wild white hair. Corded muscle rippled along her neck and shoulders, her body tall and lean, her limbs hard and muscular. Tears stood in those green eyes.

"What did you __do__ to me?!" she screamed, and the voice was a low roar, a snarling baritone. Ichigo stared in a mixture of horror and sorrow. For standing in the arena below him was a tall, handsome young man with wild white hair and piercing emerald glare, Hyourinmaru strapped to his back, his reiatsu strong and cold but lacking the special unearthly wisdom of the Kenmeinarei.

Somehow, Katsuo had splashed Toushiko with the genderbending medicine's antidote.

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 **A/N: HAHAHAHA! (alright, how many of you saw that coming?)**

 **Reviews are well-cherished!**


	39. Insight (Strawberry Reprise)

**A/N: And the penultimate chapter! There is an epilogue though. :)**

 **Alright guys. I've only had 17 people vote on my poll. So far, there are two stories tied for first place, and three stories tied for second. And I haven't even added my Soul Eater story idea to the poll. In other words, the poll is getting me sort of nowhere. So I've closed it and made a new one with only a few of the many stories - the ones I feel more confident that I can finish. Please vote on that! :)**

 **And now - ENJOY!**

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 _ _Ichigo ran to the edge of the stands, eyes widening as Toushiko staggered back to her feet. Around him, he could cries of shock as the transgender Captain of the Tenth stood, revealing what had been done to her. Her jawline was strong and sharp, her face chiseled and framed by wild white hair. Corded muscle rippled along her neck and shoulders, her body tall and lean, her limbs hard and muscular. Tears stood in those green eyes.__

 _"_ _ _What did you do to me?!" she screamed, and the voice was a low roar, a snarling baritone. Ichigo stared in a mixture of horror and sorrow. For standing in the arena below him was a tall young man with wild white hair and piercing emerald glare, Hyourinmaru strapped to his back, his reiatsu strong and cold but lacking the special unearthly wisdom of the Kenmeinarei.__

Katsuo just smiled triumphantly, raising his faux-Zanpakutou with an evil glint in his black eyes.

"I restored you to your original gender." he said pleasantly. "And…oh, that's right. Your powers are out of balance when you're male, isn't that right?"

Everyone saw the cringe of fear that shot across Hitsugaya's chiseled face, her/his hand snapping back to Hyourinmaru's hilt in a panic. Her reiatsu flared, but the potency had dropped, and the output was just slightly above that of a captain's typical power. Katsuo cackled madly again, stalking forward, and in a blur of black backhanded Hitsugaya across the face. The young captain was sent flying back-first into the white Sekkiseki wall, Hyourinmaru's drawn blade snapping in half when she tried to defend herself.

 _"_ _ _Shiraaaa!"__ Ichigo screamed, watching as blood flecks sprayed from his girlfriend's mouth, her stunning eyes widening in pain. She fell limply to the ground, the single blow clearly enough to break several of her bones, and Hyourinmaru's hilt clattered quietly to the packed ground beneath her.

Katsuo just kept on laughing, a dark light shining in his empty gaze. Black Deep-magic spiraled around him as he focused on the shuddering frame of his opponent, who was painfully staggering back upright.

"Go ahead, Hitsugaya-taicho." he said with a sick smile. "Call on your pathetic reiatsu. Scream for that boyfriend of yours, or any of the Kenmeinarei spirits that have cared for you. But I doubt any of them will come for you. What man would love you when you're male? What Kenmeinarei spirit would care about you when you're not Tamashino Kenmeinarei?"

Hitsugaya raised her hands, the calloused, rough palms held out in a defensive manner. Reiatsu gathered between her fingers, the panicked, unbalanced glistening of her tear-filled eyes belying her destabilization.

"Hado 88! Hiryu Gekizou Shinten- __AAAAAAGHHHH!__ "

Her voice cut off in mid-incantation, Katsuo's black blade flashing darkly as it sliced through her side, and a cracking cry of pain erupted from her mouth. She crumpled into a twitching heap, both hands pressed against the bleeding gash carved into the base of her ribcage, her breath coming in harsh pants. The lean muscle of her chest tensed, the torn shihakusho and haori revealing a hard stomach.

With a sense of hysterical worry, Ichigo, despite the situation, felt like a jackpot winner. Only in this situation would he possibly focus on how sexy his girlfriend looked as a teenage guy. Only…

 _"_ _ _King, I think yer goin' inta some kinda worry-shock shit."__ Zangetsu's urgent hiss carefully brought him back into the real world just in time to see Hitsugaya slammed into the ground, the long white hair grabbed roughly and jerked back to snap her head up and expose her/his jugular. Katsuo carefully placed the edge of his scythe against Toushiko's throat, the aura of sickening death spreading in a dark fog around the arena, and crushed his boot into the young captain's injured side, undoubtedly breaking some of the cracked ribs.

Hitsugaya clawed at the icy ground, thrashing despite her pain, and managed to grab a hold of Hyourinmaru's broken hilt. With a furious roar, her reiatsu surged, repairing the broken blade, and she jerked it up. Katsuo dodged easily, but stepped away with a sneer, his point made.

"You're nothing." he sneered cruelly. "You're nothing but a weak faggot."

Hitsugaya forced herself to clamber to her hands and knees, the unnatural largeness of her body clumsy and awkward, pain lancing through her chest and side with abandon. She coughed, the eerie bass of her voice bleeding. Gobs of dark red splattered the iced-over earth, and it hurt to move. It hurt to breathe. She was sure one of her ribs had punctured a lung, and she knew without a doubt that at least a femur was broken.

But worst of all was the sickening __wrongness__. She couldn't feel the musical pulse of the Deep-magic humming in her blood, and the now-familiar weight of her breasts was gone, throwing her off balance. And her voice sounded __wrong__. She didn't feel like herself anymore - she felt like someone had ripped her mind and soul from her body and shunted her into another person's form. Everything felt…off. And even the simple act of standing up was freaky, her shihakusho rubbing awkwardly against her crotch in __all the wrong ways__.

Hyourinmaru's voice was distorted in her mind, his reiatsu surging oddly, and sometimes she thought she could still feel that incredible balance that she'd achieved with him while female, but it was sporadic and terrifyingly faint.

"I'm…" she gasped, the sound of her own voice making her freeze up with horror, and Katsuo laughed at the unmitigated agony on her face.

"You're a freak of nature." he sneered. "You're so horrified by yourself that you can't even muster up the courage to kneel and admit that this was always your fate - to be a weak, pathetic boy; a sick freak who denied their own gender and is paying the price for it!"

Hitsugaya took an uneven step back, still on her hands and knees, the screaming of her friends echoing hollowly in her ears, her heart pounding in her chest. All she knew was that she was trapped. She was trapped in a man's body, and she was trapped in an arena, powerless to prevent her inevitable demise.

Perhaps fate __did__ play sick games. After all, she would never have been in this position if she'd just ignored that uncomfortable part of her that had wanted to be free to express itself. If she'd just told herself that she was male, and stuck with that…then she'd never have tripped the Royal Family's sensors. She'd never have become truly Tamashino Kenmeinarei, never have known the wonderful relief of being free to be who she was. And if she hadn't tried to change so desperately, she wouldn't be on her knees in front of everyone she cared about, helpless to protect herself.

Maybe…maybe her grandmother was right to believe in fate. Maybe there was some higher power that was punishing her for pretending to be a girl, some sadistic universal retribution that was laughing in her face for trying to defy her birth sex.

 _"_ _ _Is this how it ends for me?"__ she thought absently, unable to muster the strength to rise. Her wounds bled freely, the brilliant emerald of her eyes dulling to cold, dull jade.

 _"_ _ _Did I…did I do something wrong?"__ she wondered. Finally, her tears fell, rolling down her face. The voices of her frantic subordinates, colleagues, and friends began to fade.

"This whole time…maybe…maybe I am just a freak-"

But then she felt warm arms wrap around her waist and pull her to her feet, the scent of spicy citrus filling her nose, and suddenly a strange sense of security swept through her, calming the spiking panic rising in her chest. She looked up, her vision blurry with blood loss, to see a pair of warm brown eyes and a messy mop of orange hair.

 _ _Ichigo__.

Realization shot through her mind, and she forced her head to clear. She tried to push him away, dead jade stare wide, but her broken body could barely hold her up, and the clumsy largeness of her limbs made her stumble back into her boyfriend's chest.

"What…what are you doing?!" she panted, "You can't attack Katsuo-!"

Ichigo just looked at her, his gaze tender, and she felt something click in the very back of her mind. Dimly, she understood that Ichigo had - very obviously - left his Zanpakutou in the stands with his frantic younger sisters and an apoplectic Rukia who had failed to restrain him. He wasn't violating the rules of the Trial of Two Blades, purposefully leaving himself vulnerable to Katsuo's death-bringing abilities in order to prevent her instant loss. Then, gently, his movements slow and deliberate, he leaned over and pressed his lips to her mouth.

Hitsugaya froze, this time in disbelief. Ichigo had…what? He'd kissed her, but she was a __guy__ and was just as tall as he was and it was all wrong because she wasn't __herself__ and… Then her face was between his hands, and his sunny smile was glowing in her face, the glass pendant around his neck gleaming with dark power.

"Toushiko, you're stronger than this." he breathed, his brown stare intense. "You're not a freak. You can't let this bastard get to you. He's just trying to throw you off."

Had she been speaking aloud when her doubts had been flowing through her mind? She must have been. Either that or Ichigo was practically a mind-reader. She stared.

"Ichigo…you…"

And then the insufferable Substitute Shinigami laughed at her, grinning like the lovestruck idiot he was.

"I've told you already, haven't I?" he laughed, taking a short step back from the white-haired man in front of him, watching as the confusion and emotional turmoil began to condense into pure, unadulterated shock. "I'm bisexual. I don't care if you're a guy or a girl. I fell in love with you because your smarts are sexy, remember?"

And in that one moment, Toushiko felt herself calm. The panic vanished from her face, sweet, painful relief flashing in her emerald eyes, the life and will returning to her gaze. Reiatsu flickered from her skin, pale and blue, ice closing over her wounds and numbing her pain, and the tears curling down her cheeks froze to solid droplets of ice. Ichigo kissed her/his forehead, his expression still gentle, then backed away when it became clear that she could stand on her own power. She looked at him, finding it strange to be able to stand at eye-level with her tall boyfriend.

"...why did you jump in like that?" she asked. Katsuo stood watching them in confusion, not understanding Ichigo's unusual form of intervention, and the delay was enough for Ichigo to answer honestly, still smiling.

"You looked lost, Shira." he said affectionately. "I know how difficult your transition was for you. Suddenly feeling yourself in the wrong body again must be beyond disheartening. So…I decided that I'd remind you that you're still the kickass shinigami that I fell in love with, no matter what you look like."

The substitute tucked his hands behind his head, blushing a bit, and Toushiko realized with a flicker of shame that her boyfriend was right - for once.

Her outward appearance didn't change __anything__ about who she was. She was Hitsugaya Toushiko, proud soul-partner of Hyourinmaru, and __nothing__ could change that. Nothing could make her anything other than the queen of snow and ice and winter storm. And she'd let a few moments of insecurity and a stupid __genderbender__ medicine wash all of her self-confidence away.

 _"_ _ _And to think that your boyfriend has become such a strong presence in your life that only he is able to remind you of the reflection you saw in Aizen's mirror."__ Hyourinmaru scolded crossly, his scales rustling. The creeping, comforting chill of his power slowly began to seep back into Toushiko's veins. Toushiko went a bit pink in the face at her Zanpakutou's chastisement, remembering Aizen Sousuke's true power all too well - the ability to confront someone with their true self.

His mirror had showed her to be a brilliant, glowing woman with a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, her eyes blazing white with energy, a dragon's image superimposed over her own. She'd seen her own cruelty, her stubborn aloofness, and the wrath of her quick-to-ignite fury, the force of her sense of justice which prevented her from compromise at times. But she'd also seen kindness and benevolence, a willingness to grant second chances, and a indomitable spirit. She had seen herself as an intemperate woman born to defend and lead, an impatient girl with a cold glare, an uncompromising stubbornness and warm heart. And - most importantly - she had accepted it, because she knew that despite her flaws, there was always someone who could help her better herself.

There was no way in hell that she'd let a man's body prevent her from being that person.

And as she understood that, she felt cold fire surge in her blood, the thrumming music of the Deep-magic echoing faintly in her ears, and Hyourinmaru's wild roar of approval. She raised her blade to the sky and turned, facing Katsuo finally without a hint of fear in her gaze. Gently, the girl tapped Ichigo on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Ichigo." she replied at last. Her emerald eyes softened to puddles of melted ice. "Thank you for reminding me of who I am."

Ichigo's answering grin was knowing, but slightly goofy.

"Do I get a prize?" he asked hopefully. Toushiko rolled her eyes, then pointed back up at the stands.

"After I beat this guy's ass, yes, you can have a prize, you moron." she said, clearly exasperated, the deep rumble of her voice echoing. "Go away, you're bothering me."

Ichigo laughed, then reached up and ruffled her long, shaggy hair once before bounding back into the stands like an obedient puppy. Katsuo watched him go with a bemused expression, then snickered quietly to himself.

"You think he can just kiss you better?" the prince leered. Hitsugaya smiled gently, closing her eyes, allowing her powers to crescendo.

"He just did." she said simply. "Now…Bankai: Fukyuukai Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

Katsuo cried out as the Deep-magic exploded, coiling around Hitsugaya's lanky frame, compressing the broad shoulders, and shrinking her down to a more manageable size. And when the light and icedust cleared, Hitsugaya Toushiko stood proudly in her Kenmeinarei form, her figure formed of a woman's soft curves, her long hair loose and free. She was once again female, her wounds gone, her power sparkling over her skin. Katsuo gaped in disbelief.

"How…?" he asked weakly, and Toushiko lifted her chin, the North Star's power crackling over her body like lightning.

"You cannot change Winter or Air or Cold any more than you can change Death!" she cried. "And I won't let you change me either!"

The twin blades once again materialized in her hands and with a swift movement, the wind was gathering around her, her tattoos shining with pent-up starlight. Her eyes blazed.

"Hokuren!" she howled, and the world exploded in ice.

In the audience, everyone covered their faces, the intensity of the freezing wind and biting chill forcing even the Royal Guard to avert their gaze and cower to protect themselves. For one brief moment, however, the sky went utterly dark, the sun vanishing, the earth stilling, the moon evaporating until the only source of light was the broad band of milky stars strewn across the night sky, Polaris gleaming the brightest of all.

And then it was over. The captains lifted their heads in awe, the unseated officers gasping in shock, and the King and Queen began to cry.

Toushiko hovered carefully in the heavens, alight with power, her wings beating effortlessly to keep her suspended in the frozen sky. And beneath her was a glacier, an unbroken plain of ice stretching over the grassy field as far as the eyes could see, a looming wall of frozen water tall enough to cast a shadow over the stands. Katsuo was nowhere to be found, the only sign that he had ever existed the broken Death scythe that was stuck in the surface of the plain of ice.

And as everyone watched, the scythe shimmered and exploded into dark powder, a shadowy shape emerging from the weapon and rushing through Hitsugaya's small body. She threw her head back, eyes going blank as lines of black etched a dark pattern into her skin, intertwining with the pale icy-bluewhite of her natural tattoos, which were quickly solidifying, losing their nebulous appearance in favor of shimmering statically on her golden skin. With a whisper of wind, she began to fall, her feathered wings limp. But when she was barely a meter from the ground she caught herself and snapped her wings out. The air caught her with a joyful surge of pressure, and with a radiant cry she shot into the sky, the gentle beating of her wings effortless.

Aizen fell to his knees, unable to hide the smile on his face as the platinum tiara sitting on Toushiko's white head shone with power and slowly grew into a full crown glistening with pale gemstones. Instantly, portals opened, the myriad Kenmeinarei spirits that Hitsugaya had befriended spilling into the sky around her, each crying out joyfully. Akaen and Kotabiki swept up on either side of her, taking her hands in theirs as she flew with her own wings for the first time.

The brilliance of her smile was dappled like starlight, and as the North Star spun through the sky in her First Flight, the shinigami below understood what had happened. Hitsugaya Toushiko, the Captain of the Tenth Division of Soul Society and the wielder of the strongest ice-Zanpakutou in history, had won the Trial of Two Blades. Which meant…

Flying in the sky above them was the new Queen of Soul Society.

Toushiko dove, her arms outstretched, the gleaming platinum crown on her head speckled with dark onyx stones in tribute to her dual Aspects, and collided hard with Ichigo, knocking the Substitute into the seat behind him. She was laughing, her wings sprawled awkwardly as she lay on her boyfriend's chest, tears in her eyes.

"Ichigo…Ichigo, I won." she whispered, the relief in her eyes so clear that Ichigo couldn't do anything save wrap the scantily-clad spirit in his arms and cradle her, trying not to blubber on about how nervous he'd been for her sake. Instead he just smiled, beyond words, and leaned up, kissing the girl hard on her pert mouth.

"I knew you would."

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 **Remember, there's still one more chapter and then an epilogue!**

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	40. The Queen of the North Star

**A/N: And this is it. The last chapter of this rollercoaster of a story. Only an epilogue to follow.** **Thank you so much to everyone who came along for the ride, and I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Remember to please vote on my poll!**

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The return to Seireitei was bittersweet. Oshiro Eiko and her husband, Oshiro Takehiko, were beside themselves with anger, continually howling for the members of the Royal Guard to attack, or cursing at their beaten son in several different languages. They kept this up even until they were sentenced to reiatsu-sealing and permanent banishment from Seireitei, cursing their ill fortune until Hyousube kicked them out of the city. Yuuma had been strangely quiet during the whole ordeal, clearly hurting for his former family but grateful that Hitsugaya had chosen to spare their lives. She had spared them primarily for his sake, so that if he wished he could one day forge a relationship, but the decision had been difficult. Only after Sousuke had given his blessing did she feel completely comfortable with letting them go.

Even her relationship with her former colleagues was strained, though that was mostly the fault of circumstance. The Captains who had remained to watch the ice wraith's battle for the throne were subdued, shocked by her overwhelming power (she'd made a freaking __glacier__ appear out of nowhere, and created a tornado in the same battle!) and the lower ranking members of the Divisions were in too much shock to speak. Only the four closest to her heart - Momo, Rangiku, Rukia, and Ichigo - were behaving normally towards her. And while the awe and deference from the others was understandable, it hadn't been expected.

"Hitsugaya-sama, are you alright?"

The young woman turned, her haori and shihakusho billowing about her curvy little body, and saw that a concerned-looking Hikifune Kirio stood to her side, her plump cheeks puffed out in motherly concern. The Royal Guard had point-blank refused to leave her without at least one bodyguard by her side at all times, and she'd reluctantly stopped trying to lock them inside blocks of ice after they proved slippery prey. At least Hikifune was the least overbearing of the group.

"Just pensive." she replied at last, watching quietly as the 13 Divisions of shinigami milled aimlessly about in the courtyards below the tall tower she stood on. With her draconic sight she could pick out familiar faces in the swarm below, her gaze softening as she spotted her Fourth Seat with his fiance hanging excitedly off his arm. Hikifune gently patted the young woman's shoulder.

"You will not be parted from them." She reminded the young woman kindly. "You will merely occupy a different position of authority in this hierarchy. Now, come here and let Shutara measure you."

Hitsugaya sighed, then turned around and sluggishly walked from the balcony into the large room where her Guard waited patiently. Each of the older shinigami knew exactly the regrets and sorrows gliding through their new queen's wise mind, and were respectful enough to give her all the time she'd need. Then the young woman shook herself, her shoulder-length white hair flying haphazardly about, and heaved a great breath. She glared directly at Shutara, the cold, aloof wisdom of her stare both chilling and comforting in the strange, distantly-benevolent way that so characterized the North Star. And without another word, she held her arms up and out to the sides, obviously giving the Great Weave Guard the room she needed to work.

The men left the room immediately to give the queen-to-be some privacy, hovering threateningly around the windows and doors with their backs to the apertures lest they see something they weren't supposed to.

In the meantime, Hitsugaya argued with Shutara over wearing the heavy __junihitoe__ , and eventually won the argument, but it meant that she was fussed over for the next three hours like a doll. Toushiko shivered. There was an eerie similarity between this and the kerfuffle that surrounded her first date with Ichigo. The young woman tried her best not to flinch away as Shutara and Hikifune carefully applied makeup to her face and twisted her unruly white hair into elegant patterns, staying as still as she possibly could. Hyourinmaru grumbled restlessly, their shared power coiling in her heart. They were both fed up with the beautifying, but Hikifune and Shutara were vultures.

The Captains gathered in the courtyard below precisely at three in the afternoon, all wearing clean uniforms that looked freshly pressed, even Kyoraku. Isshin stood in for the Captain of the Tenth Division, a bouncy Matsumoto by his side, and Ichigo and his sisters fiddled awkwardly by themselves on the Nobles' dias, all wearing uncomfortably stiff finery and sweating under Kukakuu's piercing glare. The representatives from the other three Noble houses glared at them, pouting and muttering unkind things under their breath. Even Hitsugaya's friendship with the Kuchiki House didn't alleviate the grumbling of their Elders.

But then Ichibei Hyousube stepped silently out onto the raised platform on which Toushiko would be formally coronated, bearing a pillow with an oddly simple pair of golden circlets. He set this down upon the shorter of two pedestals, disappearing and returning a moment later with another pillow, this one bearing an ornate golden object more akin to a headdress than a crown. This was placed quietly upon the taller of the pedestals, a strange kind of reverence attached to the object, and then Hyousube raised his arms, speaking.

Ichigo tuned the formal waffle out, straining his eyes to spot his girlfriend's figure somewhere behind the Commander of Division Zero, but she was nowhere in sight. Next to him, Yuzu dug her elbow into his ribs, giving him a severe look. He blushed a bit and stopped squirming. But then Ichibei turned, went down on one knee, and five people processed slowly out of the shadows onto the stage. Four were the remaining Royal Guards, carefully arranged around a smaller figure protected in their center, and as their feet also hit the stage they knelt, revealing Toushiko fully to the stricken spectators.

Ichigo couldn't hold back the way his heart sped up at the sight. Toushiko's white hair was adorned with gleaming diamond, elegantly twisted into a waterfalling series of looping buns and braids that were too complex to Ichigo's brain to handle. Her eyes were outlined in black, her lips painted a warm, cherry red, and her golden skin was smooth and creamy. She wore a sweeping, five-layer furisode, the plum-wine and gold embroidery of her outer robes intermixed with the pale greens and turquoises of her inner layers and obi, all completed by the calm serenity of her appearance. The train of her outer layers and sleeves swept the earth behind her, trailing for almost a meter.

Her head, however, was bare.

Ichigo could barely listen as the young woman knelt and Ichibei stood, both reciting formal inquires and vows as the girl swore to defend and protect, to lead and guide, to reign justly. His eyes were locked on the cold mask of his girlfriend's face, recognizing the buried discontent with the pomp and circumstance. He smiled at her, hoping she would raise her eyes and see, but she did not. And then Ichibei raised the ornate headpiece and gently slotted it into place against Toushiko's coiled hair, the gleaming metal brilliant against the pale backdrop.

And when she stood, her head held high despite the weight of her crown and her emerald gaze blazing with cold fire, all of Seireitei fell to their knees.

"Hitsugaya-joo-sama!"

Ichigo was left speechless, and his hand absently came up to touch the glassy teardrop hanging from his neck. The inside of the simple pendant was now a deep, moonless black tinged with dark ruby, and it swirled prettily beneath his touch, a silvery sort of shimmer ghosting over its surface. It warmed beneath his fingertips, and Hitsugaya, as if sensing his brief brush with the spot of Deep-magic at his neck, turned towards him. Their eyes met, interlocking in a clash of brown and green - and belatedly, Ichigo realized he was the only one still standing upright.

For a long, breathless second, neither of them did anything, merely looking at each other in silence, and then Toushiko smiled, the red of her lips curling into benevolence. The crown on her head flashed in the winter sunlight.

"All you of the Gotei 13, stand." she commanded, and the rustling of shihakusho and waraji shuffled quietly over the packed courtyard below as the shinigami obeyed, confused. Toushiko gazed out at them, her gaze inexplicably soft but stern, a strange sort of winter warmth in her eyes.

"From this moment forward, I have ceased to be a member of your ranks." she said, her voice carried effortlessly by her wind. "And it is to my detriment. You all know as well as anyone the strength and nobility of Seireitei, and I freely admit that I was never prouder than I was while serving among you."

The courtyard was silent, each of the unseated shinigami staring in shock, their higher-ranking counterparts listening with a certain touched understanding in their eyes. That the young queen was being so honest with her former subordinates and colleagues was inexplicably moving, tugging hard on the heartstrings of those who knew her. But then she closed her eyes and swallowed, clearly steeling herself, and leveled a sharp glare at the dark doorway behind her.

"Yet, as many of you know, I did ally myself with Aizen Sousuke." she said, her voice starting to chill. "It is my understanding that Yamamoto-soutaicho revealed the reason behind his madness and the cause of my subsequent actions. However, if you still bear a grudge against Aizen Sousuke, I ask you just this once - put it aside."

A slow bubbling of mixed anger and confusion swept through the assembled mass of the shinigami below, the most affected group clearly being the Fifth Division. Hinamori and Hirako silenced the rising murmurs with sharp looks, but the unhappiness was still clear. Hitsugaya surveyed the crowd with a keen eye, then raised her hand to shoulder height.

Almost immediately, two figures robed in green and white emerged from the dark doorway, their kimono simple yet made of expensive cloth. One bore a Zanpakutou with a mirrored hilt at his waist, and the smaller trailed this one with a cheerful smile. Both had startling hazel eyes and wavy brown hair that framed their faces and clearly showed that they were related though their faces were slightly different in shape. The pair knelt respectfully beside their queen, bowing their heads. The crowd began to bubble again, everyone recognizing that the duo were none other than Aizen and the son he'd been forced to father. Hitsugaya's sweeping kimono rustled as she turned incrementally towards them.

"Aizen Sousuke." she said softly. "I ask that you would stand to face me."

Obviously startled by the request, the brunette man took a moment to rise, his confusion plain on his face. By his side, Kyouka Suigetsu's sheathed blade sparked with a glassy, green-tinted reiatsu in equal puzzlement, the omega spirit echoing her master's bafflement faithfully. There was a heavy silence as the shinigami in the courtyard below glared and stared in equal pity and hatred at the man before them. And then, without warning, the golden crown sitting upon Hitsugaya's elegantly-styled white hair dipped as she bent her head.

"It is the crown of Seireitei that tore your soul apart." she intoned, her voice calm but powerful. The ancient wisdom of her emerald eyes flashed. "And as the current queen, it is my duty to bear the burden of the sins of my predecessors."

She closed her eyes, then lifted her chin to gaze directly into the taller man's hazel stare.

"By the laws that govern this realm, the crime which was inflicted upon you is punishable by death. And I would see justice done." she pointed out quietly. Sudden silence fell among the shinigami below, just now realizing what their young monarch was doing. Aizen's eyes widened in shock. He took a step forward, the hazel glare turning hard.

"No." he snapped. "I don't want that and you know it, Hitsugaya-sama."

She merely gazed at him, her expression resolute.

"It is your right." she said blankly. "I am the Queen of Soul Society, and the blame for the crimes of my predecessors has been bequeathed to me as well."

And Aizen Sousuke, faced with that damning statement, did something that nobody expected. Kyouka Suigetsu sang as she was drawn with the flick of a wrist, and the hazel glare of Aizen's eyes burned.

"Mirror the shards of the soul! Kyouka Suigetsu!" he cried, and a swirl like overlapping mist, shifting and indistinct, spread from his mirrored blade until a soft shape condensed in front of the young queen, forming a copy of the young woman so identical to the original that even the crystal-like glimmer in her jade stare was exactingly reproduced. A sword was in her right hand, and a shield was in her left, a shimmering white dragon layered over her glowing form.

Everyone watched as the copy began to move, shifting through distinct images. They watched as the young queen's copy danced through storm and fire, blood whirling about her snarling form, the white blade in her hand dyed scarlet with killing power, the stone-cold fury in the glowing eyes merciless and cold. They saw the heartless justice of an executioner's resolve as the copy's sword severed heads. And they saw the sword sheathed, saw the shield thrown away in favor of cradling small, formless shapes with children's laughter in the white-soul eyes. They saw chains break under the copy's touch, the bound criminals drawn into the circle of wholesome laughter, saw the fearless self-sacrifice as the copy threw herself in front of the formless white shapes with human voices. And they watched, breathless, as the glowing copy was beaten down by shades of evil and stood up over and over again with the same fire burning in her heart.

And then the misty images dissipated, and Aizen slid his blade back into her sheath, his expression like ice. Hitsugaya looked stricken, her face oddly vulnerable.

"You tell me to kill you for justice." the former captain said coldly, his eyes like chips of hazel. "You're telling me to raise my hand to you when __that__ is who you are?"

His eyes burned, and he shook his head.

"Hitsugaya-sama, your true self has flaws, yes." he said fiercely. "And yes, you have taken up a tainted mantle. But despite your cruelty, despite your ferocious wrath, and despite your uncompromising sense of justice, you have __never__ allowed your compassion, willpower, or your morals to be forgotten."

And once again, Aizen knelt back in front of the young woman who, against all odds, had given him a second chance and restored his sanity. A fire blazed in his clear hazel glare.

"I cannot raise my blade to you for anything." he said. "You willingly took on the throne, and perhaps you do now bear the Oshiro clan's sin because of that, but if you forgave me for my crimes, then I must without hesitation forgive you for this. You saved me - gave me a second chance, which is more than I will ever deserve. And you gave me my son back."

He looked up, his knuckles still pressed to the wooden slats of the platform he and his queen stood on.

"I will not demand any recompense from you." he stated flatly. "You are the child who I always envied for your wholeness, the woman I respect for your tenacity, and the queen I will always serve because of your strength of heart. Never again will I raise my sword to the Queen of Soul Society."

Hitsugaya's lips twitched up in a smile, her golden face starting to shimmer with silvery power. Her fingertips began to shine softly, and without another word she reached out and took the two golden circlets in her hands.

"So be it." she replied, raising her head. "But you will have your recompense nonetheless."

Gently, she pressed the golden band onto Aizen's head, then set the other upon Yuuma's messy mop of brown waves. She then took a step back, drawing herself up, and the Royal Guard fell into place around her.

"Aizen Sousuke, I hereby proclaim you my steward, to govern as I would when I am unable and to assist me as I require it." she declared, a pulse of her vast power sending a brief flurry of white snowflakes through the air. "I grant you this position in recompense for your suffering, in gratitude for your faith, and in the sure knowledge that you will repent for your sins by serving my people."

The Captains of the Gotei 13 looked on in various states of shock as Aizen slowly rose to his feet, dazedly reaching up to touch the golden ring surmounting his hair. Yuuma stood as well, a brilliant smile on his young face, and threw himself on Toushiko, hugging her tightly. Tears stood in his bright eyes.

"Thank you….thank you, Hitsugaya-nee-sama!" he whimpered. Hitsugaya just smiled carefully, gently placing a hand on Yuuma's brown head.

"...Keep your father under control for me, would you?" she asked, a hint of frosty teasing in her voice, and Yuuma laughed, tears streaking his face.

"Anything for you, Hitsugaya-nee-sama!" he cried.

There was a soft silence, the shinigami below in shock at Hitsugaya's benevolent, forgiving declaration, and then Ichigo, who had been watching the entire exchange with gritted teeth because of the nobles' disgruntled muttering, let out a noisy sigh. Toushiko glanced up at him in adorable puzzlement, and Aizen's head snapped round to face the man who had once defeated him. Ichigo's brown stare was ferocious.

"Aizen." he said stiffly. The former captain winced slightly, knowing that Ichigo's hostility towards him had only abated into a dull dislike, but nodded his acknowledgment of the call with a serious expression. The Substitute Shinigami glared for a few more seconds, then sighed again and allowed his lips to quirk up in just the barest hint of a smirk.

"...Take care of Shira when I'm not there." he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument, and Aizen's gaze hardened to flint. The entirety of the Gotei gaped at Ichigo's acceptance, save for Rukia, Momo, and Rangiku.

"...Of course." the Steward of Soul Society said. Then his lips quirked in a slight smile, the kindness in his face so genuine that it was hard for most of the shinigami gathered there not to smile along with him.

"And Kurosaki-kun?" he said, a knowing chuckle entering his voice, a sly glint his hazel eyes. Ichigo raised an orange eyebrow at the sight. The former captain grinned slyly.

"...I'd suggest you make your intentions clear before the nobles try to talk marriage with Her Majesty." he said, his voice cheerful.

Instantly, both Ichigo and Toushiko went red in the face, and several of the shinigami in the courtyard below began laughing. Even Hyousube and Shutara looked amused by the ease with which the new Steward had poked gentle fun at his monarch. Hitsugaya, however, was pink in the face, her green eyes glaring.

"Sousuke, do __not__ make me retract the pardon I gave you." she huffed irritably, dark Deep-magic in quiet, soothing black flaring along her limbs. Ichigo went even redder as Aizen just laughed, the former traitor's knowing smile still pointedly locked in his direction. Then he gathered his courage and shook himself.

"Shira, he's got a point." he said after deep breath. Toushiko gaped at him. He ignored her shock in favor of shrugging awkwardly.

"I mean…I don't really want anyone else hitting on you, you know?" he said, his voice gaining strength. Slowly, the members of the other noble houses began to turn warning glares upon the carrot-top shinigami, as if daring him to try and interfere. Toushiko's blush didn't fade, but her expression relaxed slightly. The barest hint of a smile twitched at the corner of her mouth.

"You know full well that the pendant you're wearing ensures your candidacy." she said, raising an eyebrow in askance. "And I can handle the noble houses well enough. Besides…I __am__ transgender. I won't even consider their heirs a possibility when most of the nobles were against my transition."

One could hear a pin drop through the sudden silence and horror that descended over the heads of the noble families. Only the Kuchiki looked somewhat relieved, as Kukakuu stood saucily off to the side with a devil-may-care attitude that had Ganju quivering. But then Byakuya glanced up at the members of his household with a warning in his flinty glare and they too deflated, well aware that the only reason that the Kuchiki clan had put their unwilling support behind the young woman's experimentation was due to his insistence.

Ichigo felt the blush on his face fade into affection.

"You're incredible, you know that?" he asked. Toushiko grinned crookedly at him, then glanced at Aizen with a hint of gratitude in her cold emerald eyes.

"Only because I am surrounded with incredible people who can make up for my shortcomings." she said after a moment, her lips still quirked. "People like you, Ichigo."

Zangetsu's hollow cackling echoed in his head as Ichigo went sappy over his girlfriend's words, but the orange-haired teenager managed to ignore the gleeful Zanpakutou for long enough to smile back at the girl who had stolen his heart. Karin prodded his side when he, a dopey grin on his face, took too long to respond. Then he snapped back to reality and rubbed the back of his head.

"Right back atcha, Queen Shira." he said goofily. Toushiko scoffed at him, but couldn't help the laughter on her lips.

"Oh, shut up, you stupid Strawberry." she replied. Her gaze went soft. "I would have lost the Trial of Two Blades if not for you."

Ichigo went stiff, remembering the sheer panic upon his girlfriend's handsome face as she realized that her gender had been switched. He set his jaw stubbornly, his eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, sure." he retorted derisively. Hitsugaya raised a thin white eyebrow, the crown gleaming on her head flashing with authority.

"Ichigo." she growled, and the strawberry shinigami scowled back at her.

"No. No, you would __not__ have lost, because you are one of the strongest people I know." he scolded, his jaw still set stubbornly. Toushiko sighed, then just shook her head. Ichigo wouldn't yield on this point, she knew, his faith in her strength far too deeply entrenched for anything she said to dissuade him. But she knew the truth. Without Ichigo's embrace, his kiss that had brought her panic to a mind-blowing halt, she would have lost herself in the __wrongness__ that had been her second gender-switch. She wouldn't have been able to realize that physical form couldn't change her soul, because in spite of all her confidence and willpower, Ichigo had become someone she relied on. She needed his presence, his resolve at her back, his tenderness towards her despite her transgender status. She needed his confidence for her own courage.

And somehow, she didn't mind.

So she lowered her gaze, trying her hardest to hide the way her blush had faded into an uncharacteristic softness, and just shook her head. Then she laughed.

"God Ichigo, I love you, but you're a moron." she said fondly.

The strawberry shinigami went a bit pink in the face, shooting back some smartass comment that had most of the nobles flat on their faces in shock and Kukakuu howling in laughter. Toushiko's smile was bright though, her Steward and her guard relaxed in the face of her less-than-lofty nature, and so the shinigami of Seireitei laughed along with them.

And from her place at the head of the Tenth Division with Shiba Isshin, Rangiku let out a soft sigh, smiling up at her former captain, at the young once-boy she'd watched turn into the young queen she was today. Her starlike blue eyes curved into happy crescents, her hands clasping together as she watched Ichigo bounce from his place to stand by his girlfriend's side. Toushiko had told this man _'_ _ _I love you'__ and those were words that Rangiku knew weren't said lightly by the petite dragoness.

If Toushiko was comfortable enough to tell Ichigo that she loved him, then Rangiku knew that she'd finally become comfortable in her own skin.

She'd grown up.

And she'd become the dragon she was born to be.

 _ _~Fin~__

* * *

 **And, here it ends. JK, the epilogue is coming! (And maybe...just maybe...a future sequel? I'm not sure if the IchiHitsu fluff is out of my system yet...;D)**


	41. Epilogue and Possible Sequel Excerpt

**A/N: And here is your epilogue! Enjoy!**

 **Also - the poll. please. i'm begging so hard i'm not capitalizing letters. help.**

* * *

 _ _Epilogue - 30 years later__

"Ichigo, you really need to go eat lunch now before Onee-san kills us both, or you need to get a move on and quit stalling."

Ichigo flopped backwards in the soft sand with a heavy sigh, his orange hair splaying out everywhere, obviously content to never move again. Ganju kicked him in the ribs, and though the blow would barely bruise Ichigo shot his cousin a sour look and rolled to his feet. His Zanpakutou was wrenched from the ground nearby, placed carefully in its rightful spot on his back.

"I was training." he grouched sourly. Ganju rolled his eyes.

"Look, I know you're nervous, but Akaen-san has taught you the rituals, and besides, s _ _he's__ the one who decides your worth, even if you are weaker." the sand-user grunted unsympathetically. "Quit with the nervous shit."

The young noble - wow, wasn't __that__ weird - groaned and stretched, cracking his neck with a grimace. He, his father, and his sisters had all successfully faked their deaths with help from Ishida and his wife Orihime, and Chad, who had ended up marrying a very handsome British man and adopted three children. However, he had only recently managed to off his human body in a flubbed mission in Vietnam helping to crack a dangerous opium cartel and permanently made the move to Soul Society. The permanent move had been somewhat freeing. It was unbelievably nice to once again look like man just barely twenty, but at the same time, it took some getting used to.

Three years was enough time, though, and so last month he'd finally broached the topic of marriage and the Kenmeinarei mating ritual with a smiling Akaen, Aizen, and his own father. The three had carefully coached him through the planning process, collaborating behind the Spirit Queen's back to give him exactly the opportunity he needed.

And today was the day.

So with a nervous twitch, a silent plea to whichever Kenmeinarei spirit was in charge of courage to give him strength, and a faint smile in his cousin's direction, he spun on the ball of his foot and Shunpoed. The pendant around his neck swirled darkly, slowly leaching its magical power over Ichigo's tan skin. He sped up.

He had a Queen to visit.

* * *

Queen Hitsugaya Toushiko of Soul Society was perched carefully on a narrow rail, her wings folded neatly against her back, the feathery white tail with its crescent moon barb twitching. A large group of curious shinigami were gathered in the auditorium around her, listening intently as the golden-haired Kotabiki demonstrated her skill with the Deep-Magic, gently explaining the differences between the pure magic and the reiatsu that shinigami were so accustomed to.

Ever since Hitsugaya had taken the throne, the Kenmeinarei spirits had developed a persistent habit of wandering through Seireitei, and often did just that - which posed a problem considering the vast cultural differences between shinigami and Kenmeinarei. There had been a number of well-meaning shinigami hospitalized by angered Kenmeinarei spirits before the Culture Class had been offered. There was one for Kenmeinarei spirits to learn human culture as well, and slowly the two were beginning to learn how to cope with each other more easily.

Now, typically speaking, Toushiko wouldn't be filling in as a substitute considering her station as the Queen of Soul Society, but Akaen had mysteriously been needed for a Wildfire ceremony of some kind, and she had a rare free day, so she had volunteered. As a participant in both cultures, moreover, her input was invaluable.

The jeweled platinum crown on her white head reflected the brilliant sunlight and she yawned with catlike grace, her fangs flashing a blinding white. A ripple of excited surprise bubbled in the spectating crowd, and she felt a slight smile curl the corners of her coral mouth up. The assembled mass of her subjects couldn't help grinning back, happy to see her in good spirits. Then one of the shinigami raised a hand, hazel eyes wide in curiosity, and Toushiko had to make a double take as Yuuma smirked wickedly at her.

"Kotabiki-san, why is there a swirl of a different color tattoo on your neck? Hitsugaya-joo-sama doesn't have that." Yuuma asked. Toushiko stared at him in sheer confusion - as the son of a Tamashino Kenmeinarei, he already knew the answer to that. But Kotabiki just smiled - by now she was used to receiving questions and could repress the urge to scowl at the perceived rudeness.

"This is the mark of a mated Kenmeinarei spirit, and it appears at the completion of the Kenmeinarei mating ritual, when each partner bites their mate and seals a tiny portion of their power into their chosen mate." she explained, causing the assembled students to lean forward in interest. Yuuma's smirk split into a grinning leer.

"Well, what does the mating ritual involve?" he questioned. Kotabiki grinned right back, then glanced up and behind her.

"...I think a demonstration is in order." she said slyly, and suddenly a heavy, musky scent hit the air. Toushiko felt her metaphorical hackles rise, and she slid off the rail, her tail twitching, her pupils dilated. The skimpy dress of her Kenmeinarei form took on a distinct chill, the air twisting around her. Slowly, she followed Kotabiki's gaze to the roof of the building on the next hill over, and felt a low growl bubble up in the back of her throat that was completely unrelated to anger or aggression.

Crouched low on the roof of said building was a man with burning chocolate eyes and ears which had shifted into warm points, a pair of curved fangs in his mouth. Dark red-black designs were patterned into his tan skin, accented by tiny flickers of shimmering silver glitter at random points in the intricate tattoos. A loose, dark red-black loincloth belted with gleaming black and silvery metal hung from his hips, the same metal forming thick bands about his wrists and ankles, and from his neck hung a glassy teardrop pendant. He had a sinuous black tail with a dark red barb and a pair of strong feathered wings in the same deep red-black color scheme. The pupils of his chocolate stare were slitted, a side-effect of the strong pheromone emanating from his tattooed skin, and slowly Toushiko could feel herself entering that same hyper-aware state.

Traffic cone hair was a messy mop on his head as usual, still cut to a shaggy fringe about his face.

"Shira."

The low purr caused a shiver to travel down her spine, and she could hear her heartbeat begin to speed up, adrenaline pumping through her blood. Ichigo's stare on her skin was burning.

She could hear Kotabiki slowly explaining her strange behavior, pointing out the slow narrowing of her dilated pupils to thin slits, the slightly sweet scent beginning to fill the air around her, the half-open state of her white and pale grey wings, but the voice was distant. The only thing that held her focus was the heady musk of Ichigo's scent and the gradual pressure building up in her head. Hyourinmaru stayed silent, respecting his wielder's muddled decision-making process.

Logically, she knew that her physical response to the pheromones was due to her strong attachment to her boyfriend, but she still had to make the conscious decision to give in to her instincts - because once she decided to give way, she wouldn't become fully rational again until she was either a mated Kenmeinarei spirit or until Ichigo had somehow escaped her clutches. It was clear that Ichigo had already given in though, and that realization gave her pause.

 _"_ _ _Is…he using Kenmeinarei traditions to propose?"__ she wondered, her tail going perfectly still. The green of her eyes flickered, her pupils alternating between narrow slits and round pools of black. Warmth flooded through her, as she understood that, __yes__ , this was his way of completely offering a her a lifetime commitment. He was going out of his way to follow the 'marriage' customs of a culture he wasn't fully familiar with yet was an integral part of her life now.

"Strawberry." she replied softly. Thirty years. Thirty years of back and forth kisses, gentle hugs, occasional spats, unerring faithfulness, and the strongest bond she'd ever had with anyone. Thirty years of waiting.

He'd waited long enough.

She allowed her lips to split in snarl, and took a deep breath, letting the heady scent of the strong pheromones make her blood boil. She could feel her focus narrowing, every sense she possessed zeroing in on the orange-headed man crouched on the building over there. He stared back at her, waiting like a tense, coiled spring for her reaction. The pupils of her eyes narrowed to thin slits and stayed, the catlike jade of her glare alight with desire, and without warning an earsplitting howl tore from her throat, the cry of feral acceptance echoing through Seireitei.

And then she and Ichigo moved in a blur of white and black laced with orange and bluewhite.

Kotabiki watched with tears in her golden eyes as the two tangled in the sky, snarling furiously, their tails lashing wildly. The shinigami behind her stared in awe, the gusts of violent wind licking harmlessly at their faces as Toushiko growled ferally and threw Ichigo off her, pummeling him instantly with a hail of bruising kicks and punches.

"Why are they fighting, Kotabiki-san?" one of the more curious shinigami asked cautiously, gaping up at the two tussling spirits. The Tamefire Kenmeinarei laughed, though the sound was a mix of happy tears and pure joy.

"This is the equivalent of your human marriage ceremony." she answered, her voice choked up. "Toushiko-chan is testing Ichigo-kun to see if he is truly worthy to be her mate. If she makes the decision that he is worthy of her, she will cease to fight back and allow the bite."

The curious shinigami slowly gasped.

"So…after this…"

Kotabiki laughed again.

"Yes, you shinigami will have a new king." she said. "And possibly an heir on the way. It's extremely difficult for a newly-mated pair to resist the urge to make love for about a week after the bite."

As the shinigami gaped, some turning red in shock, Yuuma leapt from his seat, throwing off the black clothes that had disguised him. His brown hair, tied back in a messy ponytail whipped around as he cheered and high-fived Kotabiki. He'd grown in the thirty years, and now looked to be about fifteen. A gleaming Zanpaktou was sheathed at his side - the silent spirit that had been suppressed for so long by Kyoka Suigetsu's half the ironic part was that the phoenix in his blade was a Kenmeinarei spirit herself, with the ability to radiate brilliant white light and purify corrupted souls with a mere touch.

Toushiko landed a slashing hit on Ichigo's cheek, then tumbled from the air as his tail slammed her back-first into the stone floor of the auditorium, cracking it. Before she could get up, however, the orange-headed shinigami dropped down on top of her, pinning her to the earth with his body weight. She shrieked in incoherent rage, the slitted pupils of her eyes almost fading into faint vertical lines, and thrashed wildly for half a second. And then she locked her feral gaze with that of the man above her and paused. He cocked his head to the side, not moving, intelligent curiosity present in his face, waiting. Kotabiki held her breath, golden eyes widening. Yuuma did the same with a sharp intake of air.

And then Toushiko puffed out a pleasantly cool breeze and lay back against the ground, humming warmly, her ability to speak apparently malfunctioning though her meaning was clear. Ichigo brushed his nose to the crook of her neck, fangs gleaming in the shadow as his lips peeled back. The young queen hummed again, as if trying to be encouraging.

Golden skin turned scarlet, and a high-pitched keening erupted from her lips as Ichigo's sharpened canines punctured skin and sank into the crook of her neck. She shuddered, eyes wide, then reached up and locked her hands together around Ichigo's bared torso. With a flash of white, her teeth also snapped down, and Ichigo groaned as cold flooded from the bloody bite on his neck.

Slowly, the two drew back, blood on their mouths, the slits of their pupils gradually fading back to round orbs of black. Ichigo blinked once, twice, then squealed like a little girl and clapped one hand to the side of his neck, cupping his hand over the bite mark. The pseudo-Kenmeinarei energy dissipated from his body, leaving him in his normal soul form, clad in a plain shihakusho, the lieutenant's armband around his bicep emblazoned with a bold single line. His brown eyes were wide, a goofy grin on his face.

Toushiko was likewise stunned, but there was a distinct blush on her cheeks as she returned to rational thought. Ichigo swooped down and kissed her hard on the mouth, in obvious bliss. She squeaked in surprise, then let out a yowl as her mate wrapped his arms around her bare waist and lifted her into the air, spinning her around with peals of ecstatic laughter.

"I-Ichigo!" she squawked in protest, and gently, the orange-haired man set her down on her feet, the love in his eyes so clear that she froze in front of him. One large hand tenderly traced over the bloody punctures in the crook of her neck, fingers trailing lazily over the spirals of dark crimson-black that had twined in with the pale, pale tattoos of bluewhite winter there. Tears stood in Ichigo's brown eyes.

"My queen." he murmured softly, and she just melted inside. Slowly, she reached up, clasping her small hand over top of his much larger palm. She exhaled, allowing her Bankai form to evaporate into a plain green furisode, the golden crown of Seireitei still atop her white head. Then she laughed, ignoring how scarlet blood was staining the collar of her layered silk attire, and threw herself into Ichigo's embrace.

"Your mate." she corrected, unable to keep a broad smile from her face. It was starting to sink in - the lifelong bond she'd just made with the man she'd loved for so long. Her emerald eyes widened. "Your…your __wife__ …"

Ichigo appeared to stiffen at the sound of that word on her lips, and suddenly he pulled back, looking flustered. He rustled through his pockets for a moment, looking for something, then breathed a sigh of relief as his hand closed around something. She stared wordlessly at him as he sank down onto one knee and carefully opened the box in his hand to reveal a simple platinum ring with a glistening white stone. A sheepish grin lit up his face as she gaped at him openmouthed.

"I've got to do this properly both ways, Toushiko." he said with a fiery blush. "So…I obviously wanna marry you and…uh, you damn well better just say yes."

She covered her face to hide the happy tears starting to trickle from her eyes, but her laughter was harder to muffle. The bite mark on her shoulder burned with dark power, forever linking her with her soulmate. Shakily, she held out her left hand and nodded, crying overwhelmed tears as Ichigo gently slipped the engagement ring onto her finger.

The applause that rippled through the observing shinigami was ferocious in its approval and excitement, and she found herself in Ichigo's arms again as he swung her around, pressed securely to his chest as they laughed hysterically, both half-crying, half-overjoyed. Then she gasped, emerald eyes sliding up to pin her mate and fiance under a terrified stare.

"Oh god, Ichigo, we have to tell __Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia__." she breathed. Ichigo paled as well, then shook his head and buried his face in the bite mark on his mate's golden shoulder.

"Let's do it, then." he breathed, sending a shiver down Toushiko's spine. She pulled herself together though, and turned to Kotabiki and Yuuma with a knowing scowl - she'd figured out that they'd set her up for this nonsense the second she'd seen Ichigo in his pseudo-Kenmeinarei form.

"You two will handle the rest of this." she commanded. They gave her cheeky salutes.

"As you wish, little queen and king." Kotabiki teased gently. "Go show off your bite."

Hitsugaya's cheeks pinked prettily, and she glared for a solid fifteen seconds of icy annoyance before Ichigo spun her around and carted her off, bouncing into the sky. Kotabiki watched them go with pride in her golden gaze, then turned back to the captivated shinigami gaping at her.

"Back to the lesson…"

* * *

Ichigo led her over the rooftops, grinning like an idiot, and she couldn't help matching his smile with one of her own, the butterflies in her stomach caught in what seemed to be a hurricane of epic proportion. Shinigami scurrying about on the streets beneath them paused to look up as the couple Shunpoed past, confused by the Queen's presence in Seireitei without her Steward or one of her Guard. While Queen Hitsugaya Toushiko was indeed well-known around the Seireitei because of her frequent visits, she always had protection hovering around her like hulking shadows. It was odd to see her alone, even with her beau, Kurosaki-fukutaicho of the First Division and scion of the House of Shiba. But they paid the incident no mind. Their queen was stronger than strong, and she could handle whatever life threw at her with ease - especially considering the unmatched blade she wore tucked into her golden obi, the legendary ice-blade Hyourinmaru.

So they passed by unbothered, making their way to the Kuchiki manor for some reason. Hitsugaya protested when Ichigo merely hopped the high wall protecting the compound, but within moments he'd brought her to the Kuchiki clan's largest courtyards, in which most of the captains, lieutenants, and most of the nobles were milling around in what appeared to be a social gathering. Toushiko blinked at the oddness, then cocked her head to the side as Byakuya approached, his expression as blank as ever. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing the young queen at Ichigo's side and gave her a short bow - the only type of bow she would ever let the captains of Seireitei give her.

"Kurosaki, you did not inform me that you would be arriving late and bringing Her Majesty." he said, the barest hint of disapproval in the slate depths of his glare. "I would have made preparations."

Hitsugaya shifted slightly, her lips curling.

"I suppose it's my fault, then." she replied, keeping a careful hand on Ichigo's arm. She saw Byakuya's gaze drop to the bloody marks on her neck, then shift to the matching set bitten into Ichigo's throat. His eyebrows furrowed together, as if vaguely recognizing the significance of such an act. Ichigo's annoyance turned quickly into smug happiness.

"Her left hand might clear it up, Byakuya." he jibed, earning himself a sharp elbow in the ribs from the young woman under his arm, though she couldn't help her smile. Byakuya merely sighed, then followed Ichigo's advice.

And froze.

Toushiko couldn't help the peal of laughter that burst from her lips at the utter shock on the so-typically-stoic Kuchiki's face, and Ichigo collapsed into howls of laughter beside her when Byakuya turned a flabbergasted gaze on him. Their laughter caught the attention of the other partygoers, many of whom slowly turned confused gazes upon the cheerful queen and her long-time significant other. Kyoraku tipped his hat to the petite woman, then glanced at the stricken Byakuya with some curiosity in his brown eyes.

"Hmm? What's all the fuss?" he asked, then yelped in surprise as a brown and gold blur shot past him to stand at the front of the group. Aizen's billowing deep violet kimono settled carefully about him as he came to a screeching halt, his golden circlet askew on his head. Clear hazel eyes were wide and fixed on the bloody marks on the pair's shoulders. He sucked in a sharp breath, overjoyed disbelief starting to pool into the genuine smile taking shape on his lips.

"Tell me those are bite marks." he said urgently, looking from Ichigo to Toushiko and back again breathlessly. "Tell me those were the result of…"

Toushiko felt a surge of pride, and she tipped her head to the side to better expose the bloody came closer, examining it with rising excitement.

"He passed." she said simply. Then she giggled, the sound so uncharacteristically childlike that several of the nobles who didn't know her very well gaped. Ichigo went pink as she slowly raised her left hand, throwing the gleaming platinum ring on her ring finger into sharp prominence. "And I said yes."

The sudden squealing of the former traitor made even the few who were not paying attention to the commotion caused by Kurosaki and his fiancee stop what they were doing and turn around, exasperation clear on their faces. Then they stared alongside their fellows as a clearly ecstatic Aizen Sousuke swept the young queen and her fiance into a massive hug, laughing hysterically. Toushiko squawked with surprise, her arms pinned to her sides, then pushed the ebullient man off of her with a sharp flare of her reiatsu. The Steward of Soul Society went skidding away from them, lightly frosted, a huge grin on his face, cackling like a madman. Several people took a step away from him in fright.

Then Rukia stepped forward, glancing between Ichigo, Toushiko, and Sousuke with confusion reflected in her violet eyes. Renji stood uncertainly at her side, their fingers intertwined, and Momo and Rangiku hovered just behind them. Byakuya turned a stunned glance on his sister.

"It…It seems that Kurosaki-fukutaicho…" his stoic voice faltered, shock clearly still halting his words, and Rukia turned to the Shiba House scion with murder in her violet glare.

"Ichigo, what did you __do?__ " she growled. "I __will__ pull Hakka no Togame and freeze your ass if I have to."

Ichigo grinned, then gently slipped his arms around Toushiko's waist and pulled her back flush against his chest, nudging her gently with his chin. The young queen went a bit pink in the cheeks, but tapped the teeth marks in her throat with a soft smile.

"Kenmeinarei spirits choose their mates in a duel, Rukia." Toushiko's voice was quiet, but her face was glowing. Her white hair, which now fell to the middle of her back, stirred slightly and rose to float around her face, the air obeying her slightest thought. "And, if the stronger spirit so deems their suitor worthy, the two spirits will permanently link their power through an irreversible bite to the neck."

As realization began to dawn in everyone's eyes, their gazes flickering between the bloody spots on Ichigo's and Toushiko's collars, Toushiko held up her left hand, a smile on her face. The engagement ring on her hand sparkled in the light.

"Of course, he also did the thing properly in the usual way and proposed." the young woman said, snickering as the violet stare flew wide. Momo, Rangiku and Rukia all took a half-step forward, and behind them the nobles slowly began to pale, realizing what had happened. Momo looked up at Ichigo in dawning glee, her chocolate eyes fixed on the man's chiseled face.

"Toushiko, is this…?" she squeaked. Toushiko lifted her chin proudly.

"Momo, meet your future brother-in-law, my fiance, Kurosaki Ichigo." she declared. The emerald of her eyes glinted, and suddenly everyone was talking all at once, Sousuke and Momo exchanging rapid-fire dialogue about wedding plans, Rangiku squealing about babies, and Rukia shrieking at the top of her lungs, suffocating the couple in a tight hug. Byakuya's party quickly exploded with gossiping chatter, all of the captains offering ecstatic congratulations, even a reserved Soifon and a sulky Kurotsuchi, who muttered something about the whole affair being his work in the first place.

And watching from a rooftop in the distance, Kurosaki-Shiba Isshin stood smiling quietly, his eyes fixed on his biological son and the shinigami-queen he'd always considered his child. At his side was a wrinkled old woman, tears in her lonely eyes, clinging tightly to the reinstated captain's arm for balance. She clutched at her heart, grief evident in her gaze as Ichigo pulled his bride-to-be close and kissed her soundly on the lips, making everyone applaud. Isshin gently patted her on the shoulder.

"There is still time, Hinamori-obaa-san." he said softly. "Will you go to her?"

The old woman thought for a moment, then smiled gently and merely shook her head.

"Toushiro-chan doesn't need me anymore." the old woman said softly. "I will send a letter to apologize if nothing else, but I don't deserve to walk in there and ask her forgiveness. If she wants to forgive me, I will let her come and do so of her own free will, when she does not feel pressured by other eyes."

Isshin considered the frail old woman for a moment, then curled his lips up a bit.

"She goes by Toushiko now." the Tenth Division Captain said after a moment. The old woman laughed softly, her voice melancholy.

"I am glad she had people like you at her side, to be there for her after I foolishly turned her away." the frail old woman whispered quietly. Isshin's dark eyes softened.

"You still have time." he said again, and the old woman just sighed and nodded, watching her granddaughters from afar, Momo's arms wrapped tightly around her sister's shoulders.

"If she rejects me, Shiba-taicho-san, will you promise me to keep her safe?" the old lady asked then. "I know her job as a captain is very dangerous…"

Kurosaki-Shiba's expression became even gentler as the old woman looked beseechingly up at him. He had forgotten how little the denizens of Rukongai interacted with the shinigami of Seireitei. And now, when he was finally reminded of it, it could only strengthen his willingness to fulfill this frail grandmother's request. For she didn't even know that her own granddaughter was the Queen of Soul Society - she just was an old woman who wanted to reconcile with the grandchild she'd turned away thirty years ago.

So he bowed and promised, taking the old woman home at her polite request.

After all, no father would ever abandon his children.

* * *

 _ _(Sometime in the future…when a sequel may be written…)__

She stared. And stared. And stared.

Finally, Kirinji Tenjiro sighed and patted her face gently, taking the white stick from her small hands and setting it aside. She reached after it sluggishly, still in a state of complete shock, but the Royal Guard's healer merely slapped her hands away, careful not to hit too hard. His dark gaze was unusually patient.

"Would you like me to double check?" he asked gently. She nodded blankly, too dazed to say anything else, and Kirinji laid his palm flat on her abdomen, reiatsu pulsing faintly from his fingertips. He held that position for a few moments, his breath measured, then drew his hand away and looked the pale young woman in the eye. No words were needed - the longer he stared, the more she grew to realize the truth.

Two golden hands went down to rest on her stomach, and white hair fell in her eyes, obscuring her vision. She started to shake, shoulders trembling visibly, then gasped and fell to her knees, whimpering in a mix of disbelief, terror, and brokenhearted longing. Kirinji quickly went down beside her, his hands still on her shoulders, the strange spiral of his hair protruding from over his eyes. He looked unusually serious, the deep lines in his face created by the frown on his thin lips.

"You're not married yet." he said, raising an eyebrow. Toushiko hiccuped, her panic cooling enough for a moment to let her respond.

"Just according to Seireitei's traditions." she whispered weakly. "By Kenmeinarei standards, I've been 'married' for five months."

Kirinji sighed, accepting the statement for what it was - an excuse they could throw to the noble clans, all of whom would be personally affronted by this. Toushiko looked up, her emerald eyes watering, terror trembling on her golden face. She looked lost, Kirinji realized with a start, and he felt dread swell in the pit of his gut as well. With crisp clarity, he ordered a nearby underling to fetch Hyousube, the Steward, and the Steward's son, trying to quell the rising panic in his chest. He eased the queen into a soft chair and poured her a cup of chamomile tea, hoping the herbal brew would soothe her nerves, then started to pace, trying to organize his thoughts by reviewing what he knew.

Hollows - Arrancar, really - had started to invade Soul Society in alarming numbers.

Said Hollow invasions were uncannily organized, executing guerilla tactics to pick off weaker shinigami and leaving carnage in their wake.

Kurosaki Ichigo had gone missing a month ago while defending a number of innocent civilians against one of these organized Arrancar assaults.

All of the search parties sent out to find him had returned battered and empty-handed.

And…most importantly…

He glanced at Toushiko, who sat curled in the chair, her quivering hands wrapped tightly around the sturdy china of the teacup in her hands. His face tightened. The most powerful fighter that Soul Society had, their queen, the North Star and empress of winter and wind, was unable to raise her blade in defense of her country. And not only that, but she had even become a liability.

Because underneath the nervous hand which rested lightly on her abdomen, was her unborn child, conceived about two months ago and carried there ever since.

Kirinji turned as both of the Aizens and Hyousube walked into the clean, carpeted room he used as an office space, his cheeks a bit paler than usual. Yuuma, a young man of about fifteen now, noticed his strain with a raised eyebrow that reminded Kirinji of the exiled former queen, Eiko.

"Kirinji-san, what's wrong?" he asked. Sousuke and Hyousube followed his gaze with equally concerned gazes, noting Toushiko's lingering shock with some confusion. The healer of the Royal Guard took a deep breath, watched carefully as Hitsugaya took a long draught of the chamomile tea, steeling herself for the news, and sighed.

"Her Majesty is with child."

* * *

 **Well, here it is. The official end of _Transition Period_ , after a little over a year of writing. I can't tell you all how happy I am to see it finally completed - it was a bear to write at times, but always fun. Thank you for staying with me through all the ups and downs - you guys rock! **

**Sayounara,**

 **avtorSola**


	42. PSA Chapter - I have an AO3 Now!

Okay, long story short - I am now also posting my works on AO3! Transition Period will be the first to go up, and it will be followed by Dragon Blade, my other current fics. All other stories will remain ffnet exclusive.

Anyway, I'm letting everyone know so it doesn't get tagged for plagiarism for any reason. I will also eventually begin posting stories on both AO3 and ffnet simultaneously, or be exclusive to one or the other. So yeah, please don't report avtorSola on the AO3 site - that really is me!

Thank you all!

~avtorSola


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